Back To School - Distance Learning

COMMUNITY BACK TO SCHOOL FROM HOME: ADJUSTING TO DISTANCE LEARNING

Summer ends and the school year begins, The most difficult part about distance but this year will be very different from others as distance learning continues in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. All three learning for Ellenich is being alone at home when it comes to studying or asking questions, as she would often ask her friends for help BY CRYSTAL HARRELL school districts in the Coachella Valley have before classes or they would study together for adapted a distance learning model that takes the upcoming exams. Now it is mostly independent place of in-person instruction until it becomes work—completely different from the sensation re-open. We are not just a place for students, but safe to meet on campuses. of being in a classroom and walking to class, and serve as a vector for so many community events

Within the first few weeks of distance now only staying at home and sitting in a room and organizations to bring people together here learning, there have already been a number of for hours. Ellenich suggests that instructors take in the Coachella Valley,” said Nolan. server interruptions and technical difficulties more approaches to interact with students, even Riverside County has recently begun adjusting to remote class instruction. With new with distance learning. accepting waivers for in-person learning from factors like poor Wi-Fi connections and Zoom “I had a professor named Danny Doueir who both private and public schools. The county crashing, it has taken some adjustment for Zoomed each individual student, just to know a has met the state’s threshold to allow in-person parents trying to help their children maintain a little about them. He also sent out emails that classes, currently at 175.3 cases per 100,000 sense of classroom focus. were so uplifting with simple messages like, ‘hey residents in contrast to the monitor list rate of

“The most difficult part has been the guys, remember I am always here to help you Although she is comfortable doing fully 200 cases per 100,000 residents. The county connection issues! It’s been so frustrating and and I hope you all are staying safe, we will all get online instruction, Nolan prefers her usual hybrid must be off the watch list for 14 days before it ruins the momentum my kids had with their through this together.’ As simple as they were, of teaching modalities, having part of her classes schools may reopen without a waiver. work. The iboss website blocker was restricting they made me smile and made the world feel online and part on-ground. She believes that “In-class interaction will always be the so many websites that the teachers were trying just a tad bit better,” explained Ellenich. Coachella Valley students benefit immensely superior method in my opinion, and that’s my to use. I haven't had to help them with anything Some parents have already been using from the sharing of a learning community in a preferred method of teaching. I talk with my other than connecting them to the assignments, homeschooling methods for their children safe, supportive, and stimulating physical space. student-athletes frequently about how they are checking up on them regularly, and telling them before the pandemic and have come to find ways This applies not only to the Palm Desert campus, adjusting to distance learning and the majority I'm proud they are doing great at listening to that work best to accommodate their learning but to the newer Valley campuses at Palm of them do seem to be okay in the subject they their teachers and participating,” explained needs. Anthony Ferrer and his wife Erin Marie Springs, Indio, Mecca, and Desert Hot Springs. are strong in, but when they are in a subject they Claudia Garcia, who has three children (two in use K12 Cava California Virtual Academy—an “I'm grateful, as I'm sure all educators are, that struggle in, they can feel the disconnect and how elementary school and one in middle school) all online public school that provides all materials, we have the technology to deliver high-quality the screen is limiting their way of interacting enrolled at Desert Sands Unified School District. including a computer and printer, and also helps instruction remotely, via online technology/ with their teacher,” explained Ezekiel Esquibel, a

Garcia’s children are each reviewing what pay for internet costs. distance modalities. Had this pandemic situation second-year substitute teacher for Desert Sands they learned last year, and she feels confident of “It’s not easy homeschooling. It takes a lot occurred, say, in 1990, we would have had a much Unified School District and head freshman coach their academic performance despite some minor of time and it’s like you’re going back to school harder time ensuring a continuity and quality for Shadow Hills High School. technical setbacks since they have many options yourself. If it’s important to you to give your child of instruction. I honestly don't know what we While there are challenges presented in the to seek help if they need it. She also feels they one-on-one attention to focus, then you will find would have done. Much of what I've been doing current school dynamic, Coachella Valley Weekly will be able to retain more information because a way to make it work. It’s a choice. This was our for years as an educator hasn't changed, but the acknowledges the dedicated teachers and school they will not get distracted by friends in their choice and we love it,” said Anthony, who has part that has, is unfortunate, yet going quite district personnel that make learning possible in class and can focus better. one child in fourth grade and one that will begin well. I look forward to when our campuses here a time when knowledge truly is priority.

“My kids really love that they received some homeschooling next year. workbooks and other hands-on material! I want Teachers are also having to adjust to this to thank the teachers and the school district distance learning routine, while some are already so much for that because I do think many kids equipped to handle this educational shift. Ruth enjoy hands-on learning and writing on paper Nolan is a Professor of English and advisor to the versus doing everything online, like they did back campus literary magazine, “Solstice," at College in April when distance learning began,” stated of the Desert’s Palm Desert campus. This will be Garcia. her 21st full time year teaching and she has been

Anna Baca’s daughter is 16 years-old and using distance learning platforms since the midattends a high school in Palm Springs Unified 1990s, long before the pandemic. School District. She has adjusted to the online Nolan trained with University of Phoenix routine and has a designated space to complete online, which is an early innovator in online her school work, although she still longs to learning. She then developed and taught online socialize with her friends and classmates. courses there, during the 1990s and early 2000s,

“There are many negatives to this situation, and then became an online certified instructor at but the positive thing is that we have amazing College of the Desert in 2016. This requirement technology in which the kids can keep in constant was implemented by the California Community communication. As far as our daily routine goes, College system as a requirement for instructors I make sure she’s awake in time for her first to teach online, even though Nolan had been period. She’s old enough to be responsible for instructing at COD since 1999. her own schedule and knows that if she needs “I am fortunate that I'm already very wellhelp with something, she can reach out to one of versed in online teaching, and for many years, her teachers. I encourage her to do that when I approximately half of my teaching load has been can’t answer a question,” said Baca. in the online format. These are asynchronous/

While some students feel comfortable and fully-online class formats. I also taught my oncapable of learning on their own from home, ground classes from Spring 2020 using Zoom there are others that rely on more of the social technology when we transitioned into distance dynamic provided in class to help learn new learning this past spring,” explained Nolan. concepts better. Abigail Ellenich is currently a senior at California State University, San Bernardino, on the path to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Nutrition. She has adjusted to distance learning by looking through the course requirements, asking questions, and by interacting with her classmates as much as she can.

“Communication is key online, at least for me. I'm not afraid to ask questions no matter how many times I let my voice be heard or frustrate people. I will still ask if it means that I will better understand what's being explained,” said Ellenich.