The Invisible Pandemic of Grief: Finding Meaning in Our Collective Pain

Abstract

Globally, educators approach screens full of faces in a scene becoming more common in daily practice. This harrowing time of pandemic has opened a range of emotions not only for our students, but within ourselves due to physical distancing and the increased use of technology to engage one another. As a result, embracing our vulnerability and recognizing how grief is impacting our lives and our work is necessary at this time. Using an ethnological approach, the authors explore issues of loss, grief, meaning-making, and the benefits of sharing our experience with each other. If we can name it, perhaps we can manage it. Written from the perspective of post-secondary education in the United States, this article is intended for staff, faculty, and administrators who work in post-secondary education.