School on the screen: students, teachers adapt to new learning environment

Story by Blaine Dunstan, Reporter
October 27, 2020

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, students have been given the choice whether they want to attend school in person or utilize remote learning. Along with being given the choice to start at school online or in-person, students are allowed to switch modes of learning one time to find what fits best. 

For junior Gabe Beaman, online felt like a good decision. 

“I think being online is easier than being at school just because I’m working better from home and I don’t have to take time to get prepared for school. I can comfortably work from home which helps me, but this could be different for others,” Beaman said. “The biggest difference in going online would probably be the attention given by teachers. In many classes, teachers seem to forget you are there so it is up to you as the student to really pay attention and put forth effort.”

While some students believe that staying online is easier compared to in-person learning, others believe learning in person is a better option. For junior Shayla Estrada, online wasn’t giving her the same fulfillment or opportunities.

“It got lonely being at home all day, and boring,” Estrada said. “The biggest difference is that you don’t get the same knowledge that you get from actually being present in the classroom.”

Students, however, are not the only ones dealing with switching from in-person to online learning. Science teacher Sally Ricker had her own encounter with the switch. For Ricker, teaching from home wasn’t the same experience as being in the classroom.

“I definitely prefer teaching from the school, you don’t get the same up-close interaction with the kids. Not being able to see their body language hurts because sometimes kids don’t have to tell me if they are struggling understanding a topic because I can tell by the way they are sitting,” Ricker said. “I would say teaching from home’s best perk would be being in my own environment, but at the same time my classroom is my environment.”