Two teachers reflect on virtual learning

Rachel Sapola

The beginning of this school year has been an adjustment for everyone: students, staff, and parents have all had to adapt to the ever-changing circumstances of attending school during a pandemic. For physics teacher Mrs. Burgess and math teacher Mr. Flynn, this back-to-school season means providing students with a virtual learning environment from home.

As we near the end of the first quarter, teachers and students have begun to settle into their new schedules. In Mr. Flynn’s and Mrs. Burgess’s virtual classrooms, students log onto Zoom at the beginning of the period and are able to learn just as if there was a teacher in the room with them. “There is no part of the classroom experience that is fundamentally different from what [students] would have if my physical self were in the room,” Mrs. Burgess explains. “They can talk to me in small group breakout rooms just as if we were sitting around a table working on paper. They can come early, stay late, or come during a study hall to get one-on-one help.”

Despite these similarities between in-person and virtual teaching, the differences are striking. “Not being physically present means changing how I approach topics, and means I have to work harder to anticipate where kids will struggle,” Mr. Flynn said. Both teachers have expressed that they’ve experienced changes in their lesson plans and workloads. One of the biggest differences has been in the number of hours they’ve spent working. Recounting her experiences, Mrs. Burgess says, “There was a night two weeks ago when at 2:00 a.m. I realized I’d been working for nineteen straight hours and had left myself four hours to sleep. That was a bit of a wake-up call for me.”

Even with these difficulties, there have been some benefits to adapting to a virtual classroom. For example, Mr. Flynn describes the positives of his virtual accommodations. “I got a second monitor for my computer screen so that I can have Zoom up on one and a browser up on the other so I can juggle more,” he explains. “I really like that set up and I don’t think I’ll ever want to go back to one monitor for any kind of computer work I need to do.”

Overall, virtual learning has been overwhelmingly successful for both classrooms. Students have been able to continue to learn and connect with their teachers over Zoom just as they would be able to under normal circumstances. However, this success is the result of immense teamwork; both Mr. Flynn and Mrs. Burgess have expressed their gratitude for the administrative staff, the technology department, their room monitors, and their students’ hard work. “Kids are asking questions, working hard, and getting things submitted when they need to,” adds Mr. Flynn.

“I’m super proud of each of my students, both online and in person. You are troopers!” Mrs. Burgess concludes. Ultimately, both teachers want their students to know that they are proud of their drive and they are always here to support them when they need it.