Back to School

Ever since schools first closed in April, 2020, there has been much speculation about when and if they were going to reopen. Last summer, students were informed of a possible return with a hybrid schedule, however such a return did not materialize for Masterman students until May 10, 2021. As students and teachers have begun to return, mixed opinions and experiences have emerged.

Since returning to school has been such a highly anticipated event, many students and teachers had preconceived notions of how it would pan out. Ms. Elana, a highschool history teacher, was disappointed because she was expecting to “see more of the students she taught a major subject to.” Thus, she describes the experience of returning as “bittersweet,” citing her joy of “being back and seeing kids” as one of the positives. A downside of virtual learning she mentioned was “the teachers having to go to the students, rather than the other way around” which was difficult for her to adjust to. On the other hand, Mr. Tannen, a math teacher, was pleasantly surprised by the transition from fully virtual to a hybrid classroom. He states “[The experience] far exceeded my expectations. I thought it would be strange and bizarre. I was worried that teaching in person was going to be challenging.” Similarly, Gavriela Kalish-Schur, a freshman, recalled being “more excited to go back to school than ever” even though she “was unsure of what to expect.” Tino Karakousis, also a freshman, had a deeper concern: he was “worried that it would be hard to socially transition.” However, he found that his classmates “fell in and became friends.”

May 10th, the date for the return of cohort A, marked the beginning of in-person school after over a year of fully virtual learning. Though unlike any other first day, the common opinion was that it retained a sense of normalcy. Ms. Elana was “impressed by how organized the return was. Students knew where to go, there was a plan for ordering lunches, and everything was under control.” However, she was saddened by there being “so few students.” Ms. Waber, an English teacher, also “missed all the students and the noise.” Tino, being a freshman, had to go through the metal detector for the first time, and found the process to be somewhat chaotic. Regardless, he deemed the rest of the day “like a normal school day.” In contrast, Mr. Tannen found the day to be unlike “a normal school day in so many ways: there were no students in halls, lunch and recess were different, and even the lunch tables felt bizarre because there were only 3 people at a table.” He also commented “the fun aspect of school was not there.”

As students and teachers adjust to the hybrid schedule, many challenges face them. Nonetheless, in-person school comes with its advantages as well. Ms. Elana was exhilarated to “see students in person” and thinks it “will benefit their mental health tremendously.” She favors in-person over virtual education because “students need both social and academic interaction to get the most out of school.” Mr. Tannen displays a similar sentiment: “many of my students have expressed that they have felt more motivated since returning.” Although, he pointed out “technological difficulties and having two classes at once” as disadvantages he has been faced with after teaching on the hybrid schedule. Similarly, Gavriela recounted virtual learning as being “much harder since there are so many distractions” and mentioned “when you’re in a classroom, it is much harder to lose focus because you have to at least act like you are paying attention.” She notes, “having to carry a heavy backpack” as a downside and “feel[s] jealous at times while seeing her classmates sitting in their beds when [she] is at school.” Tino also