One of the most pressing issues surrounding COVID-19 is providing an education. Teachers, students and parents have all been forced to adapt to an online environment, where things are often uncertain and confusing. Although schools like East have been adjusting to a fully online environment, a few schools across the state and nation have been transitioning back into a partially in-person setting
Durham Academy functions on a five-day rotating schedule. Half of the students, “cohort A,” attend Mondays and Tuesdays, “cohort B” attends Wednesdays and Thursdays and the whole school is virtual on Fridays. Masks are required at all times, and during lunch, students are asked to sit outside and distance.
“There are no exemptions for wearing masks inside,” said Emma Larson, a senior at Durham Academy. “If you want to have some fresh air, you have to ask permission to leave the entire building. They’ve been really strict about that.”
Cardinal Gibbons is also on a two-group rotating schedule, with a green and a gold team for each grade. With a maximum of 18 people at a time in each classroom, Elle Freedman, a senior at Gibbons, believes her school is doing a good job at protecting students.
“While we’re in the classroom, it’s working out really well,” Freedman said. “All the seats and desks are separated by like six feet. I never really come in contact with another person, any group work we do is usually through Zoom… There have been a few cases of COVID, but I feel like I’ve never [been] kept in the dark about it, and every time they contracted it off campus and it was tracked down.”
In-person education can provide a learning experience students can’t quite get from home, whether from being able to discuss topics or just understanding concepts more comfortably.
“I feel more confident with asking questions because sometimes interrupting in a lecture, for example, when you’re online can feel intrusive or awkward,” Larson said. “Just having a little bit more of a seamless classroom environment has made it a lot easier to communicate with teachers.”
Larson also finds that it is easier to get to know her teachers while in school physically.
“I have a new English teacher this year that I’ve never had before. Being able to see her in person once or twice a week has made it much better for me to connect with her personally,” Larson said. “If I just had her online I think it would be much harder for me to adjust to her teaching style and be comfortable asking questions or discussing topics with her.”
Freedman considers face-to-face learning to be beneficial socially and educationally.
“I am someone who loves to be in-person, and to be face-to-face with my teacher, and although it is a different setup in the classroom, and there isn’t a lot of collaboration, the teachers have done a great job of organizing new types of assignments,” she said. “I’ve already had so many tests and quizzes, and I feel like I am able to retain most of the information and still be engaged whether I’m online or at home.”
In-person school still requires precautions, so many big events and full-school gatherings have not resumed. Even said, seeing a few friends from a distance is better for many students than total isolation.
“It’s nice to see some of your friends again. There are some people that I haven’t seen since March and it’s really cool to be able to see them in person,” Larson said. “Of course, there is a little bit of a disconnect, you can’t be super close to them, but it’s still pretty normal.”
Even though most schools try to be strict with distancing and protections for students, there is still some risk.
“There’s a constant stress of not knowing if anyone at your school is sick. They’re trying their best to make sure that no one contracts [the virus] in the Academy, but of course there’s that slight bit of uncertainty that leaves you a little bit antsy,” Larson said.
However, for the most part, Freedman and Larson both say they feel safe in their school environments. Although exposure inside a school might be risky, both students consider it to be worthwhile.
“I do feel safe. I think that people, students in my grade and in my classes, are doing their best to be safe,” Larson said. “And, you know, I feel like it’s the best outcome I could have asked for. So, I’m grateful for it.”
Photo courtesy of Phil Roeder/Flickr
