Learning at school and at home can be a mess
by Peyton McNorton
It has been 340 days since the first case of COVID-19 in Virginia, and things have changed since then. Businesses being closed, hospitals overloaded with patients, canceling or postponing events, and also changes with schools. On Monday, March 23, Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia made the official announcement that all Virginia Public Schools are closed for the rest of the school year. High school Seniors, teachers, parents, and students were all devastated to hear the news.
Over the summer of 2020, everyone in Waynesboro kept asking the school board, “what is the plan for this year?”. Waynesboro Public Schools put out a survey for parents to decide to put their kid(s) in option one, fully remote learning, or hybrid learning being option two with last names A-L coming into school Tuesdays and Thursdays, and last names M-Z coming into school Wednesdays and Fridays. On Mondays, teachers will be preparing for instruction for remote students and hybrid students.
Many students, including me, chose to do hybrid learning. I wanted to do hybrid learning, because I have not been inside Waynesboro High School in a while and I miss seeing my teachers and friends. I think other students also wanted to do hybrid for the same reasons. But a couple days before the first day of school, WPS announced that all students will do virtual and will start on August 31st instead of August 18th, according to WHSV news. Which I understand that they decided all students will do virtual because of the pandemic.
For about one or two weeks, it felt weird. Instead of me sitting at a desk at school, I was laying in my bed. This is not how I wanted to start my junior year. Not only did it felt weird to students, but teachers had a hard time getting used to this virtual learning environment.
Towards the end of first semester, WPS put out the same survey from summer of 2020. I still wanted to do hybrid, so my mom put me as a hybrid student. But then things changed again. According to WHSV, WPS announced all students will be doing virtual classes for the first week of January.
When I finally went back to WHS for the first time since March 2020, I was excited, but also nervous. Everything felt new to me. Having to wear a mask, temperature check, social distance, and other protocols was all so strange to me and everyone else. But without those protocols, we would have a big COVID-19 outbreak. So it’s good we have these protocols, but weird to do because we’re not used to it.
Covid cases are rising in the state of Virginia, and some parents are not comfortable with sending their child to in person learning. Sending your kid(s) to school during the pandemic is risky. I’m starting to become uncomfortable and not enjoying hybrid learning, and I’m sure other students agree too.
Hybrid learning isn’t good, because of the covid outbreaks, it’s stressful, and things going on outside of school. Having to go to school and wear a mask all day long is boring, not fun, and not good. I would be sitting in a classroom, with no mask, but nope. Also having to social distance, having to stay six feet apart isn’t that bad to be honest. But I know teachers miss hugging their students. So for now, it’s just elbow bumps. I think temperature checks are ok, because they will only let students, teachers, and staff members into the school building if their temperature is not above 98.6.
You know what else isn’t good about hybrid learning? It’s stressful. I go to school in person Wednesdays and Fridays, but what about Tuesdays and Thursdays where I’m not in person? I like having a teacher with me so that they can explain it a lot better instead of typing it or saying it on Zoom. Transportation can be stressful too. What if you're not comfortable riding the bus during this time, and then someone in your home is unable to take you to school? I drive myself to school, but I think some people have a hard time with transportation. The last problem with it being stressful is technology issues. I know WHS provides hotspots for people who don’t have internet, but what about other schools? Like what if someone can’t understand what his/her teacher is saying and the student can’t work sometimes online due to their internet connection?
The third and final reason why hybrid learning isn’t good is that you have to deal with things going on outside of school. Having to deal with school and non related school stuff is stressful. Having to take care of your younger siblings and them acting crazy while you're working on school can be hard to focus. Chores too can be stressful. Doing the dishes, vacuuming, laundry, cleaning, and other things while you have so much school work to do can lead to staying up late to work on assignments. Also during this pandemic can be stressful outside of school. What if someone in your household has COVID-19, and you get tested positive too? There’s a chance that you might exposed everyone at your school.
Now, I know some people agree with me, and some people disagree with me. For example, someone might say “Well education is more important than health so hybrid learning is good for my son(s)/daughter(s).”. Ok yeah education is important, but covid cases are rising. That can be a risk for their kid(s), students, teachers and staff members. What if their kid(s) go to school, and they get covid? Think about that for a second.
In conclusion, hybrid learning isn’t good for me and other people, because of COVID-19 outbreaks, it’s stressful, and things going on outside of school. I want to hear your voice and thoughts on hybrid learning. Do you think it’s not good like me? Or do you like hybrid learning?