With the start of hybrid learning, many students and parents have had concerns about sending their child back to school. Remote learning on this scale has never been attempted before, and there have been a few bumps in the road. Students from OA took the time to tell me about the pros and cons of fully remote learning.
Most students that chose fully remote seemed to have a generally good experience with it. Every student that I talked to emphasized how they had more time between or after classes to get work done then those going hybrid. Remote learning cuts out travel time to and from school, something that can have a significant impact on how much time students have to complete their homework or catch up on sleep. Junior Lauren O’Connell felt that “remote learning definitely looks different than it did this past spring.” She continued by saying that “with a busy schedule including homework and practice, every bit of time in the afternoon helps!”
Unsurprisingly, another trend in the answer was the emphasis on safety and the lower risk of contracting Covid when not in school. Hannah Vargas, a senior, had been going hybrid initially. She chose to switch to remote to have more time to work on assignments and because of her “discomfort with the several no mask time slots in a full classroom throughout the day.” The priority of students or parents that chose remote seemed to be staying healthy and safe during Covid.
But being remote has its challenges. Emma Varella, a senior, says that “the only con of going remote is feeling distant from the class.” Even though she emphasized how helpful the teachers were in making her feel involved from a distance, she believes that “nothing can replace the classroom.” Distance learning is great for not contracting coronavirus, but difficult when trying to interact with other teachers or students.
Despite some of the concerns, Hannah Vargas encapsulates her remote learning experience with two words—”No regrets.”