By Noah Kinnisten, Staff Writer
When COVID-19 appeared and forced school to close, being away really gave students a new perspective. Who would have thought that when we finally got out we were going to miss it?
“I miss seeing my friends, my teachers and being able to get help face to face,” sophomore Zoe Lucas said.
With just days left in the school year, adjusting to all online work was a big change of pace, but not impossible to handle. Students just needed to learn to have motivation and determination. Plus, this turned out to be good practice for COA classes.
“Online classes are hard to navigate and they’re not my preferred method of learning,” junior Colby Evans said. “But I’m getting used to it.”
Although some students may have felt as if teachers were using this time as an excuse to give more work, some of them may be struggling just as much as their students since leaving the building on March 13.
“There are a lot of factors to consider in how we develop assignments and what we expect back from students,” Spanish teacher Mora Newton said. “It is hard to individualize this online (learning) – in person, we can touch base and make changes as needed.”
And again, you may not believe it, but your teachers miss you, too. Having to be away from the people they see every day, whether it be their students or colleagues, takes a toll.
“I would love to be out there in the parking lot at 7:45 telling students to slow down as they drive in and saying ‘good morning’ over and over again to see who is awake enough to respond with anything more than a grunt,” Newton said. “I miss the off-topic (but so important) random questions that students asked. We talk about choosing classes for next year, college tours, college essays, issues with siblings, friends and family.”
Being away from school and having to stay home a large majority of the time has been tough, but many students have learned to make light of the situation and try new things or stick to the things that make them happy.
“I’m cooking a lot, making TikToks, exercising, watching Netflix, listening to music and working on my perfect playlist,” Lucas said.
Even teachers are trying to keep themselves busy when they aren’t planning lessons.
“My Zumba teacher uploaded her class to YouTube and I have been doing that several times a week,” Newton said “And my kickboxing instructor also uploaded some videos of her classes.”
But for students who might be struggling in this time, Newton has important advice to share:
“It is important for students to stay in touch with people at school. Email teachers, hop on to Google Hangouts with teachers and classmates,” Newton said. “I want to know what you’ve been up to, even if you’re not doing lots of fun stuff. Let me know how you’re feeling.”
Sophomore Noah Kinnisten can be reached at 22kinnistenno93@daretolearn.org.
