COVID-19 Cases Increase 

What is the hot topic that is present everywhere you go, that is evident if you look at another person who has a mask on their face? COVID-19. From the beginning when this world wide pandemic hit Niskayuna on March 16th, 2020, most of the students, including myself, in school were overjoyed when we realized there would be a couple of weeks without school! Hooray, we got a short break, but then that turned into a couple more weeks, into the next year with restrictions on learning, into the year after that where we are back in school, where practically everything is normal, except for the hot masks that stick to your face like glue. But, with the rise of COVID-19, will we have to go virtual again? 

In Times Square on New Year's Eve, there were many reporters and members in the crowd not wearing masks. For holiday vacations, many people went away, increasing the spread of the virus. With the return to school in 2022, the  exposure caused COVID-19 to spread even quicker, setting 2022 into a direction none of us expected. 

Then, on Friday, January 7th, we were all virtual. After a whole year and a half of virtual school, who would want to be back there again? Yet, because of the constant absences of teachers and students testing positive for COVID-19, contact tracing quarantines, and other illnesses that many have long forgotten with the COVID-19 taking priority, we had to shut down. The spike of COVID-19 has risen, with Omicron spreading like a wildfire. 

Now, constantly in class you can look around and see empty seats, as well as the increased use of Google Meets so students who can’t come into school can still learn. Where would we be without this technology? Without it, who knows if we’d even be able to learn or attend school with the threat of a deadly virus hanging over us all, which would not allow anyone to come in person. Luckily, we do have this technology, but I bet many wish that we didn’t have Google Meets. Even the mention of the option to use Google Meets if you have been exposed is revolting. It still allows us to learn though, and as much as most of us have learned to hate Google Meets, we’re lucky to have them.  

With a wide variety of students online and some in school, it can be challenging to balance both. Remote students can learn, but it's hard to participate when half the class is in person. With the rise of COVID-19, a new way of learning is being developed, with both teachers and students of this year acting as trailblazers into the unknown. Differences aside, we all are facing COVID-19 and are experiencing something unheard of, something that will be read about many years to come, and this is something we all are facing together and must work together to keep everyone safe. After all, we’re all living through a huge part of history and no matter who you are, we’re all in it together. 

There is no certain way to stop the spread, you can wear your mask, get vaccinated and take steps to protect yourself but even if you do all these things, you still might need to go home. Over vacation, from December 23rd to January 3rd, 57 members of Niskayuna High School tested positive. We knew there was going to be a spike in the winter but with the variations, Delta and Omicron; more people are stuck at home, more people are catching it, and the diseases are spreading faster than ever. 

Yet, we’re still able to learn, still able to go to school and even if we’re shut down again, we’ll be back in school soon enough and are still able to learn, throughout history many not having this opportunity, but we aren’t letting the virus get in our way. Yes, it's obvious we really, really want to stay in person, but with COVID-19 on the rise now more than ever, if we are to shut down, the positives are that we will still learn and we will be back in school much sooner than later. Throughout 2020, 2021, and the start of 2022, COVID-19 is something the world has experienced, COVID-19 has reached us all, it has affected Niskayuna High School and everyone in it, but it hasn’t stopped us. 

Teachers have their own challenges when it comes to COVID-19. When interviewing some teachers, they brought into perspective what it's like teaching right now. 

Maddy Ehrlich: How many students have been out in your classes lately? 

Mr. Edgar: 12 kids are quarantined for all 5 classes. 

ME: What are some challenges when students are quarantined?

Mrs. Romm: The fact that students miss out on instruction and the end of the quarter is coming up, as long as everyone is trying their best and being safe, that's good for me, I like to grade effort-based. 

ME: What are some challenges when you had to be out? 

Mrs. R: I would have ideally liked to remote stream in from home but since I couldn’t I had to write sub plans but luckily a lot of my classes are project based, so my students know what to do, it was easier than other teachers who need to do day to day instruction. 

ME: How many students have been out in your classes lately?

Mrs. R: Each class about 3 to 5 students have been out. 

ME: What is it like teaching remotely for a language class, when the sole focus of learning a language is for communication? What are some challenges? 

Mrs. Gardiner: An important aspect of teaching a language class is to create opportunities for students to interact with each other using the target language such as interpreting texts, partner conversations and student presentations.   Communication can still occur in a remote setting, though it may take some extra steps to shift activities.   It can be challenging to hear from each student in a remote setting each class, though there are websites like Flipgrid that allow students to record themselves.  Interacting with other students is another important aspect that is challenging to replicate virtually.  There are breakout rooms, but it’s not the same as hearing a class of students speaking the target language.  That is the part I’ve enjoyed the most about being in person again this year.  

ME: How many students have been out in your classes lately? 

Mrs. G: It depends on the class, in some classes all students have been present and in others up to a third of the students have been absent.  In most classes I have students attending virtually.