As a student going through these unprecedented times, my learning has definitely slowed down. Obviously, it is no one’s fault this pandemic has forced us to change a lot of our normal day to day life, and our country and the world was pressed into adapting. I have heard some people discuss that school may never go in person fully because of the way we are able to do school while not being in person. However, that should not happen. I feel very strongly about how much kids need school in person, and the fact that I have heard the rumor flying around that doing online school is a possibility going forward in some schools is extremely frustrating.
Doing class online at home in non-pandemic times makes kids develop a lazy loose work habit while also letting them be distracted by whatever else is around them. Obviously, at the start of this, no one knew how long it would last, and school on Zoom was convenient, comfortable and easy. I loved being able to just wake up and join my class. However, by two or three weeks in, I realized that this was not an effective way to learn at all.
As much as I try, I get distracted at home by things that I naturally get attached to like my phone or even my brother or dog, and that takes away from my full attention being on the task at hand in class. Also, I need interaction with teachers, their classmates, and the real outside world and I find it difficult to unmute myself and participate in class online.
In a normal classroom, everything just comes naturally, and the conversation and everything flows much easier; participating becomes second nature. Because of the pandemic, this was the route that schools had to take so kids would try their best to learn, but after being in the situation myself, I can attest that online school affected my ability to learn to my full potential.
Luckily, my teachers and everyone at Gonzaga is very helpful when I reach out with questions, but not every school is not like this. Therefore, when normalcy returns every school should go into person every single day. I think online school is a good option for kids who are sick or for when they are traveling and cannot be in person.
That would be an effective and proper way to use the resources we have to join the class. Again, only in certain situations when it is necessary should it be used. I have gone through this and can attest that going to Gonzaga everyday was genuinely enjoyable and I hate thatI had some time of my time on campus taken away, but I will cherish the people I went to school with everyday.