The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the perceptions and emotions of teachers during the global pandemic, specifically looking at the "how" and the "what" teachers experienced during the pandemic, focusing on the emotions deriving from the participants' lived experiences with technology. The hermeneutic approach and the Interpretive Paradigm were used as the theoretical frameworks. The sample included five teachers from one middle school in Illinois who were asked open-ended questions used during group and individual meetings. The major findings are organized by four theme clusters: An Initial Concern and Awareness about COVID-19, Mounting Challenges, Technology Encroachment, and "Learning Loss." The results of this study provide insight and implications for teachers/staff, district leadership, and parents/guardians. This research addresses a crucial gap in educational research by giving voice to teachers who have largely been overlooked in the discourse surrounding the pandemic, which has primarily focused on academic learning loss, online stress, and student accountability. Teachers' viewpoints, and their emotions were at the core of this study that sought to guide educational decision-makers in both physical and virtual classrooms, ultimately contributing to better crisis preparation in school districts. This research aspires to enrich the educational discourse and support the future of the education profession during times of crisis. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]