The 2019-2020 school year brought a lot of trials and tribulations due to the global pandemic that arose in March. The pandemic affected almost everyone, but the people who go unnoticed the most are often teachers. The teachers and other educational staff were thrust into a completely new way of teaching. Most teachers were under the impression that this virtual learning would only last two weeks and felt they were prepared for this. However, after it came to be that virtual learning would continue to the rest the school year, everyone was shocked.

Lynn Jillson, a physical education teacher at George J. Mitchell Elementary School, reports, “My first reaction was, ‘How is this going to work?!’ After 2 weeks of being fully online, I got into a groove. We made it happen! When we found out that we were fully online for the rest of the year, I was actually shocked. That was something I did not expect.”

It was up to the teachers to find effective ways of getting work to their students. It was a challenge at first and the truth is a lot of students struggled with online learning both at the elementary and junior high/high school levels. It was also difficult for teachers trying to navigate this completely new journey. It has affected school this current year in many ways, but luckily administrators, teachers, and support staff are trying to return to some normalcy. With the hybrid schedule now in place, it allows students who would like to attend school two days a week to do so and be virtual the other days. Though there is still a virtual aspect, teachers were much more prepared for how to teach since they had more time to prepare.

Joanne Sofield, a long time physical education teacher at Pinelands Regional High School, explains how virtual learning this year is different than last year.

“Virtual Learning this year is way more structured. From a teaching standpoint, we have had more time to collaborate and plan with other teachers. So, I think at the start of the year we were more prepared.”

An important aspect of teaching on a hybrid schedule is balancing your virtual and in person students simultaneously. It may be difficult to include the virtual part of class into lessons and class discussions. This has been a new learning curve for teachers, but as the year slowly progresses, teachers admit they are getting more and more into the swing of running their classrooms under these circumstances.

“It takes a lot of effort to ensure that both groups of students are engaged with the lesson. I do, however, feel more prepared for this virtual learning than I did in the spring. We have had more training and more supplies given to us and the student,” Tracy Simoncini, a teacher at George J. Mitchell Elementary School explains.

Virtual learning has been tough for teachers and students alike, but this experience will only prepare everyone involved for any future obstacles that may come their way.