Dylan Stewart
Reporter
As the end of the first quarter of the school year approaches, it is evident that this school year has brought with it many changes so far. Because of the changes, not every student is always at school, which leaves an impact on the ability of teachers to teach and students to learn.
There are challenges for both sides, even if many are unaware that the other side is affected like they are.
When in phase two, students were working online every other day, which was an adjustment for them.
“I think it’s great with everyone being there at the same time. You get to see everyone and the teachers don’t have such a difficult workload. But I personally don’t feel as safe, the classrooms are small so teachers spread us out as best they can but you’re still around people. I feel so much safer and we have less people sent home when we are on A and B schedule,” junior Anna-Claire Wright said.
With everybody being at school at the same time, many are being sent home to be quarantined. Once students are quarantined, they are faced with two weeks of solely-online school. Not many students are used to online school which makes it difficult for them to properly learn when they are not face-to-face with a teacher.
“Quarantined or not, you’re always wondering what people at school are doing when you are at home,” junior Cassidy Smith said.
Students who are quarantined are left to keep track of all that they are missing at school. Despite being given work from teachers, many students worry they are missing out on important learning opportunities. Students at home are also responsible for trying to keep track of any assignments or tests that they need to complete when they return to school.
“I believe that it takes a special type of student to be motivated to do their work on their own. Even some of my brightest students need to be reminded to stay on task and complete their work at times,” Algebra I teacher Labrenda Coleman said.
Not only are students faced with having to learn the way they always have, but being at home part of the time means some students are unable to remain as motivated as they are when they are sitting at a school desk.
Students are not the only ones that are having to change the way they do things, teachers are having to rearrange their teaching as well.
“To accommodate all of these changes has been the most difficult task of my career,” Coleman said.
“Although I have been teaching for five years, I feel as if I am a new teacher all over again,” biology teacher Katherine Huit said.
This new change has caused teachers to rethink how they teach to ensure that their students are still able to learn properly. For many teachers it is not easy to change the way they teach after all of the time they have spent teaching, it is as if they are having to relearn how to teach their students.
“I think all teachers are a little more stressed and overworked this semester,” art teacher Sarah Myint said.
Not only do teachers have to plan their lessons like they always have, but they also have to determine how to ensure their students are getting the most out of their lessons even if they are not in class.
The challenges this school year has brought have caused many changes to education as we know it for teachers and students alike.
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