Op-Ed

Can Video Games Help with Academics?

By: Haris K. & Lucas Z.

I think we can all agree with one thing: video games are very fun but can they help with studies? Well, it can help you, but it might hurt you in some ways as well. Studies show that gamers earn higher scores than a person who doesn't game. Games that put learning first focus on deeper concepts, exploration, experimentation, and developing a sense of accomplishment by building skills. Video games can also help with hand-eye coordination, motor skills, and academic advancements. If you play video games in portions, it can help with your eyesight, build social skills, and can improve your decision-making skills.

Even though video games have their pros, they also have cons. Some of which are self-isolation, financial difficulties, decreased physical and mental health, and addiction. Artistically creative kids can learn art techniques while playing video games because game design is full of digitally animated imagery.

They will learn to be persistent if they want to complete any given video game challenge because they often have to repeat the challenge many times before they create the knowledge of how to succeed. Playing video games can also increase your level of aggression, physical and mental. It can make you have a lack of focus/concentration, can limit the academic process, and can damage your eyesight. Also, games can replace real-world problems. Games can cause competitive actions in parents and children.

Video games having a positive or negative effect is dependent on the type of video games an individual plays. Studies have shown that people who play violent video games react to situations with violence but on the other hand, people who play peaceful and non-violent video games react to situations in a dignified manner.

As for video games that can “help with academics,” the real answer is up to you and how you play. If you play video games in portions, it can be beneficial, but if you play for hours and hours each day, it will not.

All in all, the reasons we gave were only a small sample of many more. Video games can be harmful if done in large portions. There isn’t an absolute answer to the question, but it is based on opinion and what and how you play.

Our Sources: Source 1 , Source 2 , Source 3 , Source 4 , Source 5

Homework Havoc

By: Anjali C. & Ved J.

“Homework is an opportunity to reinforce what they learn,” fifth-grade teacher Ms. Perillo says. That’s what a teacher thinks about homework. Some students love homework, while others despise it. But homework is there for a good cause! Britannica ProCon states that “Homework improves student achievement.” So, let’s investigate the pros and cons of homework.

A lot of parents force their kids to do homework. But, these parents do not know that homework can have a BAD effect on their children if exposed to too much! One big con is that children lose playtime. According to Vittana.org, “Children benefit from playing. In addition, too much homework can be bad. Britannica explains that kids are often or always stressed about homework.

According to Atlasofscience.org, too much homework stress can lead to a lack of sleep and concentration or loss of weight in more severe cases. Additionally, when homework is done in a disruptive environment, it can make a student frustrated and angry. This also leaves an impression that homework and learning are bad. The stress of homework, upcoming tests or quizzes, and maintaining a social life can feel overwhelming to any student.

Before we move on, let's see what different students and teachers have to say about homework. Tanay from 5-4 states, “Homework takes around an hour every day.” To support this, Mrs. Oshinski says, “Homework should be meaningful and based on the child."

Kabir also thinks this is true. He said, “Homework takes me 30-60 minutes every day.” Wow! Many teachers and students are in favor of homework!

As we have seen previously, homework isn’t always beneficial. But, it can also have pros. Let's talk about some of them. According to nordangliaeducation.com, students learn time management skills while doing homework. They learn to balance their time between schoolwork and extracurricular activities. Also, they can work in a more comfortable environment, their households.

This sometimes makes homework feel like less of a hassle. Bu.edu states, “I think teachers assign homework in elementary school as a way to help kids develop skills they’ll need when they’re older—to begin to instill a sense of responsibility and to learn planning and organizational skills.”

In conclusion, homework can vary by grade level. Sometimes homework can feel tough. Just remember, homework can be beneficial. Teachers and students all have different opinions on this universal work. But, if you can balance homework and your social life, you will benefit the most.

How Students Feel about In-Person School

In September, Governor Murphy mandated the return of all students to in-person learning. Below are opinions from student journalists about the return to in-person schooling. These are the authors' opinions, and not necessarily that of Menlo Park Press.

By: Ansh K.

The setup of the classrooms this year is much different from past school years. The desks are spaced a certain distance away from each other to maintain social distancing. At lunch, we have to sit at our own desks and we are not allowed to without our masks on. In specials and 5th grade, we need to wipe down the desks with alcohol wipes. Wearing masks all day is the worst of it all. After a while, the mask is filled with bacteria and constantly breathing inside a hot mask is uncomfortable. When you sneeze, the snot from your nose gets stuck to your mask and is extremely nasty.

Even though there is nothing we can do about Covid, we can try to improve the situation in our school. Some tips are to always bring an extra mask because you don’t want a bunch of snot or other nasty stuff in your mask for 6 hours. Also, this has been told to you thousands of times: WASH YOUR HANDS! You should always wash your hands anyways but in these circumstances, you should be extra careful. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth because germs can enter your body from there. Refrain from touching other people and their belongings because it is probably covered in germs.

Most people like me don’t like going in person during the pandemic. But it is for our own good and I suggest that you work hard, follow adult directions, and follow social distancing rules. Good luck and have a great year!

By: Haris K. & Lucas Z.

While you’re online, it can be hard to make friends. We feel that students need to interact with others so they can become more social in future years. Also, students get limited feedback for their work. Another con from online learning is cheating on tests -- I bet you’ve cheated on one of your tests before.

Even though online learning is bad, it could also be good in different ways. You have better time management when you’re online, and you also better your understanding of devices. It also has the advantage of being in the comfort of your own home.

Many students think that online learning stinks and in-person rules. To be honest, we totally agree with them. Don’t throw your pitchforks at us just yet. First off, in-person is lag-free. You also get to interact with friends more and become more social, which could be a really useful skill throughout your life. Even for us, it was really really hard to focus during remote learning. Occasionally, we just sat there listening to everything the teacher said trying to figure out what we were doing. In-person, it's rarely that.

I know all of you online lovers hate us, so we hope this can make up. Some disadvantages: it is possible for you to get exposed to the virus, so there are many things limiting you to what you can do; and with in-person, there is a certain pace of learning you have to become accustomed to.

All in all A lot of people have different opinions about different types of learning. In the end, each one works but everybody has their own opinions, and we think that people should respect that!

By: Tanay U. & Rohit R.

The first day was fun. The teachers were nice, and the kids had fun. We learned new rules. We were going to eat in our classrooms everyday! Masks were mandatory, and we had to use hand sanitizer every time we got into a room. Our desks were six feet apart. With so many precautions, it didn't feel like school anymore. Some people thought it was enough. Seeing the school and being with teachers and classmates was enough for them. It didn't unlock the true meaning of being in class. Seeing facial expressions is a key part of talking, and you probably talk most in school. It’s just not enough for some people. For some people, it just got worse.

By: Johnathan S.

Are there are a lot of new teachers this year like Ms Pontarollo and Mr. Wahl? How do you feel about them? One of my classmates said, “Well, I feel like this is my last year and I won’t get to see them, but I think they are going to make a great impact on our school in the future.”

I love school lunch so I asked someone if lunch is better or worse now than it was two years ago. Another student said, ”Well, this year the lunch portions are smaller and the menus are different. Good and bad."

Covid Vaccine: Is it functional?

By: Yoshitha V. & Freya R.

The Covid-19 virus first appeared in 2019, and it spread in less than a week. Since then, people have been begging for the vaccine, and scientists have started working on it. In the year 2021, scientists have discovered the vaccine. The vaccination for adults and teenagers was the first to be released. However, a new vaccination for children has recently been made. Should it be given to children?

We believe that everyone should have it. It works well and can help you avoid getting Covid-19. It will also make the classroom atmosphere safer! That's our perspective, how about we hear what others have to say?

We spoke with a few folks that got the vaccine to find out what's on their minds, and the data we gathered is quite useful. Four out of six participants stated their arm ached a little. This means that whomever gets it will have a small impact. When we asked them about the vaccine's negative effects, the majority of them claimed arm soreness and a little fever. Everyone we spoke to received the vaccination on their left arm. Furthermore, everyone was given the vaccination to ensure that they were all safe. Finally, 6 out of 6 people recommend that others get the vaccination since it will help to reduce the number of cases of Covid 19.

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