The Online Learning Experience: An Interview with Kamiak Teachers
by Zoe Liong and Jackie Hernandez, Reporters
Current Events
In the current circumstances of this pandemic, students and teachers have to deal with struggles concerning both their academic and personal lives. It is understandable that students complain about their classes and the inconveniences of online schooling, but many fail to consider that, just like students, teachers have had a learning curve. We interviewed teachers in different departments and found out what it is really like to teach during the pandemic.
We all remember that fateful day March 13th: the day that we got the news we wouldn’t be returning to school. Mr. Lewarne, United States history teacher and cross country and track coach had to break the news to his team of runners. “I think about that day a lot,” he says. “That was one of the definitive moments; we all knew that something was gonna change. What I do remember was the announcement that we were closing up schools, which I heard at 12:50 p.m. It was the end of the second lunch. I was finishing up lunch. Somebody had their phone and got the notification. They called it that we were done for the day. Practice would continue but after that, we were done. We all left. I don’t have a 6th period, so I was done seeing [students] at that point.” After school that day, LeWarne encouraged track members to follow an exercise schedule on their own, even if the season got canceled.
Little did anyone know we would still be learning online nearly a year after that day. And with that change came huge shifts in teachers’ approaches to learning as they knew it. Mrs. Drafts, an algebra teacher, details the shift in planning her lessons now versus in-person learning. “It’s really difficult because normally you plan the lesson, and there’s content that you need to get out. I try to make creative and interactive ways for kids to talk to their peers, visualize concepts using models, and interact with their learning.”
Drafts wants to bring the same approach to online learning but struggles to engage her students: “I'm sure you’ve seen teachers on Jamboards trying to make groups collaborate. It’s very difficult because you don’t control breakout rooms; sometimes I get frustrated and I teach them [myself]. But we know kids learn better when they get to talk or share.”
Inoue Sensei, Japanese teacher, explains that he spends more time on instructions than during in-person learning, especially putting lessons up on Schoology, because Schoology sometimes makes it hard. Grading is also difficult with the technology; he’s used to using his red pen to mark what the student did wrong. “In learning a language, it’s important to give feedback on the spot.”
The consensus among the teachers was positive in regards to the change in block scheduling, specifically in teaching 3 or 4 periods a day. Mrs. Lane, a CTE teacher, says that although the class times are a bit longer, the schedule gives her time to plan her future lessons and allows students time to do their assignments. With the accelerated pace of online school, there has been a surge of assignments that need to be graded, but Mrs. Lane doesn’t mind the increased workload if it means her students are able to engage more and grasp the curriculum more easily. She is able to creatively process each lesson, rather than stressing about all five classes.
Wednesdays can be a nice break away from Zoom, but teachers are known to have lots of meetings midweek. Sensei says that Wednesdays, for him, are not too bad. “[They] are strange, but it’s a good break for teachers and students,” he explains. He spends time grading and sending emails to students who are not attending Zoom or doing classwork. Later in the day, he goes to his staff meeting and then logs on as an advisor to the Japanese club.
Even for the technologically-savvy, the transition online has significantly changed how teachers and students alike experience classes. LeWarne says, “I have taught AP US history the second year Kamiak has been open since 1994, so this is my 26 or 27th year teaching. I know the subject pretty well, and I know what the class looks like. So, the biggest challenge for me was deciding what we were going to leave out because.. this is a [normally] year-long class ending in a semester in January.”
It’s obvious that with online learning, we’re all spending more time in front of screens, but how much time are teachers dedicating? Mrs. Bloemker, a science teacher at Kamiak, explains that she spends “very few weekends doing non-school related work. A couple of days ago during winter vacation, I spent 5 hours one morning grading online. Yesterday (Saturday), I spent 8 hours prepping for the next unit in anatomy. Today (Sunday), I spent another 8 hours getting the honors chem curriculum ready. During a work week after Zoom classes, I will easily spend another 3 or 4 hours each day. I am by no means alone; many of my colleagues and friends put in the same amount of time preparing for their classes.”
Sensei says the hardest part of his day is “sitting all day in the chair or in front of the computer, because at school I walked around, talked with students, made jokes, talked with different teachers, and went to the bathroom. Physical movement. Here, my world is this computer thing, so that's the hard part of the day! I have to step outside and take a walk to get some exercise.”
In terms of mental health, Drafts, admits that on a scale of 1-10, she’s “like, a seven. I don’t know [the scale of] my normal mental health, but this is not ideal. I don’t like this — none of us do.”
It is difficult to keep schoolwork and personal life separate during quarantine; the same goes for many teachers. Mrs. Johnson, who teaches senior English, handles this problem in a unique way. “I have a ritual of ending my school day by being appreciative of things that are still there,” she explains; she takes time out of her day to handwrite and mail physical letters to her students, mentioning things that each student has done that stood out to her. “It has really improved my mental health being appreciative and thoughtful; it helps me slow down my day and it's calming!”
When asked about how students can make teacher’s day easier or less stressful, Mr. Yi, a math teacher, shares his thoughts. “First off, I'd like my students to know that it has been an absolute joy and privilege to share my knowledge and wisdom with them, that I'm working very hard for them, and that I miss them very much,” Yi says. It would make his day a lot easier if students “attend the live Zoom session whenever there is one. Learn the materials as much as they possibly can. Attend office hours if they have any questions. Be obedient and respectful to your teachers.”
The work and life balance isn’t the only thing that is hard for teachers to deal with, according to Drafts. “We all want kids to be successful, but it doesn’t mean you’re going to get all A’s... I care about my students, but I can’t make them. I have many kids that are in Algebra I who never come to office hours or never ask questions,” she said. “I know that they’re struggling, so I write notes when they turn in homework, asking if I can help them. I wonder if they don't trust their teachers or just don't care enough to want to learn it. It's so hard to know when I don't get to see them in person and build that key relationship."
For students who are struggling right now, Sensei gives some welcome advice: “If you need it, take a break… Don’t be hard on yourself. If you feel depressed, go ask for help.” Sensei emphasizes that students don’t have to be perfect and that they should be nice to one another and themselves. “Of course, I want you to work hard in Japanese, but at the same time, take care of yourself.”
DISCLAIMER: The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed by the various authors in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints of Kamiak High School or The Gauntlet.