As IHS reopens its doors to students, the eccentric schedule has sparked many diverse perspectives. Whether they attend school online or go in-person, students and teachers alike are facing problems and experiencing a chaotic year. Interviews conducted with a range of teachers and students who interact with different grades and hold different positions provide varied insight and one consensus: this year is a struggle.
Ms. Burke, a Geometry teacher and support professional, elaborated on the pros and cons of instructing remotely as a teacher: “I believe that virtual learning is going well so far. My students seem to be understanding the material. I have good attendance, punctuality, and a high turn-in rate for assignments. I’m struggling with connecting to my students, since most have their cameras off or don’t feel comfortable asking questions, or making conversation over video conferences.” Not being able to connect with students personally through virtual learning is an issue shared by many teachers. Further, the awkward, impersonal setting consisting only of several small screens combined with Wi-Fi issues explains the lower student participation in a virtual classroom.
An “in-person” teacher, Mrs. Mellander, teaches a wide range of subjects including Humanities 10, English 10, European Literature, Journalism, and War in Literature. Having experienced both virtual and hybrid learning, she emphasized how everyone is all in this together, no matter what path each student takes. She said that whether you are in-person for two consecutive days or virtually attending classes, all students and teachers are struggling and experiencing difficulties. Clearly, unity not only gives us power, strength, and courage, but it is also needed and essential for our adaptation to such extreme circumstances.
Isaac Smith ‘23, an athlete, experienced in-person learning for one week before deciding to transfer to the all virtual option. When asked why, Smith simply replied, “In-person school sucks because there are barely any teachers there, and I didn’t get to see the majority of my friends.” According to Smith, a good solution would include modifying the last name system that assigns in-person students to specific days, catering more to student preference: “Even though it would be hard to get all your friends on the same day, I think it would be essential to overall class enthusiasm.”
Lily Dean ‘24 shares a more positive viewpoint, saying, “I liked being able to see my friends. Also, going to school got me into a schedule, although one of my peers had COVID-19 and therefore I had to quarantine, which sucked since I missed Halloween. Overall, it was a great experience, since I got to meet some of my teachers, and the pros outweigh the cons.”
After listening to these opinions, it is evident that although students and teachers are all experiencing this new standard of learning a different way, many are facing similar tribulations and ordeals. As of Monday, November 9, IHS reopened after shutting down for about two weeks for cautious reasons, and students and teachers alike wonder what the future has in store.