SCROLL Volume 90 Issue 2 December 14, 2020
Page editor/ R. Hayworth
Table of Contents Volume 90, Issue 2, December 14, 2020
Principal: Leslie Morris Adviser: Natalie Niemeyer Staffers: Shukri Abdirahman, Abdifarhan Ahmed, Gracie Alarcon, Ashlyn forget, ny’asiah Gully, Christina Hernandez, Isabella lopez, Ptolemy rimmer, Natalie Taylor Co-Editors-in-Chief: Ryleigh Hayworth, Sawra Selema Design Editor: Maria Hernandez Feature Editor: Joselyn Hildebrand Multi-Media Editor: Kylea Tackett Front Cover: Ryleigh Hayworth Back Cover: Isabella lopez Letter Policy The Scroll welcomes letters but reserves the right to edit for space as needed. Outside contributions are subject to the usual restrictions of libel and obscenity and must conform to general paper policy, which is available upon request. Signed commentaries represent personal opinions, not views of the staff. Also, your letter needs to include your full name and grade. Unsigned letters can not be printed. You can deliver your letter to Natalie Niemeyer in room 3060N. Ad Policy Ads are available in quarter page, half page and full page sizes. Ad inquiries should be directed to Natalie Niemeyer at natalie.niemeyer@dmschools.org. The Scroll reserves the right to reject ads deemed not in the best interest of East students. The paper is printed by Wilcox Printing in Madrid, IA.
East High Scroll
/2
Page 5: Best oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe
Page 7: seniors Losing their Sports Seasons
Page 14: Nahla the Neuroblastoma Warrior
District Educational Equality Statement Des Moines Public Schools prohibits discrimination in educational and employment programs and activities based on age, race, creed, color, sex, marital status, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or disablility. In addition, the District prohibits acts of intolerance or harrassment toward employees or students that are not related to the individual’s employment or education.
Tips for online learning How to succeed in a virtual atmosphere story/A.Ahmed
You are sitting in class, but you are having a challenging time getting ahead. Your siblings are arguing in the next room, and your dog is barking in the backyard. You are stuck at home taking online classes because of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you were able to go to school, you would not be in this predicament. Here are some tips you can follow that will make online learning stress free. Find a distraction free environment One of the best ways to do well in class is finding a solid place to learn. Choose a spot that has little to no distractions and away from the family. “It’s important to find a distraction free environment because it allows you to focus, work, and do this virtual school so much easier,” junior Marisol Argueta-Hernandez said. If it is possible, it would be ideal to set your computer on a desk or table so that your hands are free to take notes and flip through class notes. Check: Are you muted? After you log into class, and before class time starts, make sure you mute yourself. Background noises such as chewing, typing, or meowing/ barking pets might not sound like a ton on your side, but those noises can easily magnify across your classmates’ and teacher’s speakers. You will know you are muted when you see a slash over the audio/mute button. Double-check: Are you really muted? Just make sure of it so you do not say something you will regret. Set goals for yourself Setting a goal at the beginning of the semester/term gives you an extra purpose to your session and can help you focus on the content at hand. “Goals can be motivating. It can be harder to find motivation for things that seem challenging or boring and when it’s not clear how something might be relevant. The shift to widespread online learning intensifies that. Goals can provide little drops of reward to help push through,” Iowa State professor Brenda Witherspoon said. Make sure you check in with yourself weekly to see how you are doing and if you can do better.
743
Number of East students who chose virtual
photo/A.Ahmed
“I try to remember that we will all get to the other side of this, even when it feels as if we’ve been stuck in a ditch for a long time” -Brenda Witherspoon
Treat the online course as a real class When taking online classes, you need to have the discipline to sit down and say, ‘I am going to work on this as if I was at school,’ as well as the commitment to actually follow through. Although you can be flexible as to when you complete your work, it is important you do not put it off indefinitely. Practice time management The ability to create your own schedule is often one of the biggest benefits of taking classes online. However, the freedom can also be disastrous if you do not have appropriate time management skills. Without these skills, you will easily find yourself turning in assignments late or handing in sub-par assignments. “The scientific law of entropy describes the tendency of a system toward disorder, and it’s a good metaphor for human tendencies. It takes energy inputs to maintain order. Without those inputs, imagine our laundry piles, our email inboxes, and our class assignments. Sometimes we just get more
done when we impose an artificial structure on how we spend our time. Building on the ideas of motivation and goals, plus identifying what traction looks like, time management is just one more tool that can help us dedicate appropriate energy to all the things that are important to us academically and personally,” Witherspoon said. Get rid of distractions From Netflix to social media to TikTok, you will find yourself faced with many distractions that will derail your studies. The most successful online students know how to decrease these distractions and set aside time to focus. The greater your ability to focus, the faster you can complete a task while completing the task to a higher standard. “I created a schedule for myself and for my classes, so during those times my computer stays off to prevent myself from playing games,” junior Thien Bach said. Engage in chat Participate in the class’s chat to help you better understand the class material and engage with fellow classmates. “Engaging in the chat has been better than conversations in the classroom. More students participate in the chat, they talk more among themselves and there are more questions that get asked to help students learn a lot more,” Bach said. Use the chat feature to ask questions, share interesting ideas, or agree with what your classmates are saying.
Learning model by choices- 2nd Term
1,369
Number of East students who chose hybrid
34.40%
of East students chose virtual
63.38% of East students chose hybrid
East High Scroll
/3
Holiday gifts on a budget
Have you been struggling to find a gift for that special someone for the holidays? Do you want to give good gifts without spending a fortune? December is one of the most stressful times of year not only finding gifts but trying to stay on budget. Here are some amazing gifts that anyone would love to receive but won’t break your bank account.
If you missed Black Friday and Cyber Monday you can still score some good deals. Wait for weekly ads to come out to get coupons for a discount. Also compare ads and see what store is offering the lowest price for that item.
Prepare ahead of time. A month or two in advance take some cash out of each paycheck and store away for holiday spending. This way you aren’t spending all your paycheck on gifts during the holiday.
Make sure you are giving them what they want. Nobody wants to open a gift they don’t want. Get an idea of what they like or need and shop according to those things. Not all gifts have to be bought. Make your own gift basket to customize to the persons likes.
Basket Ideas Mug gift $5- $7
Start with a mug of choice. Add a couple hot cocoa packets or favorite coffee, marshmallows, candy canes and candies of the persons liking. You could also put a gift card to a restaurant, store, or coffee shop. All these items can be found at Dollar tree, Dollar General and Walmart.
Baking kit $5-$10
Start with an oven mitt. Inside the oven mitt, put a rubber spatula, spatula, measuring spoons, whisk, cake mix or brownie mix, you could also add a container of frosting and sprinkles. All these items can be found at Dollar Tree, Dollar General, and Walmart
East High Scroll
/4
Spa day in a jar $7- $25
Get a big jar inside add nail polish, lotion, chapstick, facemask, body wash, sugar scrub, bath bomb, gift card to a nail salon, nail file, fuzzy socks, perfume. You can also start with a pair of slippers and add the items inside the shoes. Customize to their liking not all items have to be included. All the following items can be found at Dollar Tree, Dollar General, Walmart, and Walgreens.
Movie night in a basket $15-$25
Start with a basket add a blanket, microwave popcorn, candy of choice, drinks of choice, other snacks, and movies. All these items can be found at Walmart and Dollar General.
Page Editor/ I. Lopez Illustrator/ I. Lopez Story/ I. Lopez
. Information Time: 1 hour and 40 minutes Yield: 35 cookies Photo/ I. Lopez Page Editor/ I. Lopez Story/ I. Lopez Illustrator/ I.Lopez
Link to video to make these delicious cookies
Best chewy oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
.
.
Ingredients
Utensils
1 cup softened butter 1 cup light brown sugar 1/2 cup white sugar 2 eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking soda 3 cups old fashion oats 1 bag of chocolate chips vegetable oil
-Big bowl -microwave safe bowl -electric mixer -rubber spatula -one or two 9x 13 cookie sheets -parchment paper - cookie scoop or tablespoon -1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/4 cup, teaspoon, tablespoon, 1/2 teaspoon
Follow these 14 easy steps! 1. Get a big bowl and smaller microwave safe bowl and get all the ingredients out. Then preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. 2. Get two sticks of the salted butter or measure out a cup of butter and put the butter into the small microwave safe bowl. Put the bowl in the microwave for 10 second increments till the butter becomes soft (NOT MELTED) 3. Put softened butter into the big bowl, as well as one cup light brown sugar, and half cup of regular sugar. Use an electric mixer to cream the sugar and butter. 4. Stop the mixer and crack two eggs into the mixture. Make sure to dispose of the eggshells and wash your hands after handling the raw eggs. Then use the electric mixer to mix the eggs in. 5.Once combined stop the mixer and add two tsp of vanilla extract. Then use the electric mixer combine. 6. Stop the mixer and time to hand mix! You won’t need the electric mixer anymore. Measure out one and one fourth cup of flour and fold the mixture from the edges of the bowl into the center till combined using a rubber spatula. (Make sure to hand fold so they don’t turn out flat) 7. Measure out one tsp salt and half tsp baking soda and fold into batter. 8. Once all the ingredients are combined you should have
a little thicker than a brownie batter consistency. 9. Then add the three cups of oats to the mixture and fold with a rubber spatula 10. Once it is combined it should be a thick consistency and able to form into a ball without losing its shape if it is not thick enough add a little oatmeal ONLY IF NECESSARY 11. Then after oats are mixed in well add an entire bag of chocolate chips and fold in 12. Now get out one or two 9 x 13 cookie sheets. Line them with parchment paper or spread a little bit of vegetable oil on the bottom of the pan. If you are using a nonstick cookie sheet you do not have to line the cookie sheet. 13. Now use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to form balls and place them on a 9 x 13 cookie sheet. Place 8-10 on each tray equally spaced three to four inches apart. 14. Once the cookies are placed on the sheet put them in the oven for 12-14 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies are golden brown. 15. Once they are done put the cookies on a sheet of parchment paper to cool down. Then you are finished!
East High Scroll
/5
A look into the life of East High’s Spanish teacher, Kristin MacDonald story/ S. Abdirahman
If you are looking for a high energy, and fun teacher who is also a mother, sister, and a friend, look no further than East High’s favorite Spanish teacher, Kristin MacDonald. Ms. MacDonald is one of the Spanish teachers at East High. It was not part of MacDonald’s plan to become a Spanish teacher. After high school, she started at the University of Rochester in New York. Her intended major was genetic engineering. She also went to the University of Maine and got her Master’s degree in teaching history. There was a shortage of Spanish teachers, and MacDonald knew enough Spanish to be able to teach it. She also focused on International Affairs and got a degree in economics. She got both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree at the University of Maine. “I don’t have a degree in teaching Spanish, but I have a degree in teaching,” Teacher Kristin MacDonald said. Ms. MacDonald has been a teacher at East for the past 4 years. She came at the beginning of the semester in 2017. She has been to three schools and East students are by far her favorite. She loves the diversity and the strength of the East High community when they come together. Over the years she has noticed how East students defend each other fiercely in and outside of the building, and how it is filled with wonderful experiences. “Clearly my favorite part about East are my students,” MacDonald said. Family is very important to MacDonald. She spends her free time with her kids, her boyfriend, and his son. She has a 12 year old daughter named Lucy who loves to skate.
1
3
Photo/K. MacDonald
Her sons name is Jamie, he is nine years old. She likes to read, crochet, and ride her bike. She also has a younger brother in Japan who is in the military. She loves to do activities with her kids. Before COVID-19, she would go swimming, bike riding, and take them to the orchard. “I don’t like to sit at home, I like to be doing something that is outside of the house, and COVID-19 is making me crazy because that’s not an option,” MacDonald said. Taelyn Fisher is one of Ms. MacDonald’s Spanish III students. She met Ms. Macdonald when she was a freshman. She had her as a substitute teacher for her Spanish class. She didn’t really know Ms. MacDonald back
then. She then had her as her Spanish II teacher sophomore year, and that’s when they got close and grew a strong bond. “I would describe Ms. MacDonald as a very fun and goofy person, who is always wanting to make others smile,” junior Taelyn Fisher said. Rose Batungwanayo is a junior at East High as well. She has known Ms. MacDonald since the second semester of her freshman year. She really likes MacDonald’s teaching techniques because she likes to put sarcasm and humor into things, which makes her class not boring. For Rose, Spanish class was the only class she looked forward to because the teacher and class was fun. “I’d like to think that we are close… She is definitely that one teacher that you can talk to about anything and she’ll understand…. I just love her,” junior Rose Batungwanayo said. MacDonald would really love to go back to school in person. She is one of those teachers who does a lot of group activities with her students. She would rather the school not go back and forth between hybrid and virtual learning. She has gotten used to managing classes online and working from home. She prefers in person learning for sure, but she knows that the safer choice is virtual learning. She is nervous about coming back to the building because she cares for the safety of her students and her family. “I would describe Ms. MacDonald as a thoughtful and caring person, and a great teacher,” Batungwanayo said.
things you didn’t know about Ms. MacDonald
She was a cheerleader in college
East High Scroll
/6
2
She used to live in Maine and she would consider going back
3
She was in a Jewish sorority, even though she is not Jewish
Seniors losing their sport season How COVID-19 affected senior high school athletes
East High School did it, so did North High School, Lincoln High School, and Roosevelt High School. All these school and more suspended their fall sports because the state wanted us to continue with online education. This caused seniors to lose out on part of their sport season. Schools all over Iowa have lost their season of fall sports because of the COVID-19 outbreak that started in late January 2020, with the first wave of COVID-19 positive cases going up. Lots of schools tried to start their season up for players to practice with their teammates and participate in games. Many got shut down or suspended because of players and coach-
es testing positive for the virus causing them to quarantine for 14 days. “It makes me reminisce on what volleyball used to be like and feel like, I took my last three seasons for granted, I just miss it all.” Senior Varsity volleyball player Tayjah Butts said. With sports out for the season many seniors lost their chance to earn scholarship for college for being a good athlete. In many high school games college coaches show up and watch teams play and to also see how they work with each other. With COVID-19 hitting the USA so hard, there is limited seating so each player can only have one or two guests come and watch
Photo/ N. Taylor With masks being mandatory all over the USA, it can make it harder on athletes in practice or in games. In practice players must wear their masks at all times and that can make it difficult to communicate and understand one another, because when we talk are masks muffles our voices.
Cloth masks are a good choose to use when in sports because they can be reused as many times are you want and can be washed. Cloth masks are very easy to breathe out of and are not crazy tight. Cloth masks are very effective and bring your chances of getting COVID-19 down.
the games. This makes earning scholarships harder to earn, if college coaches can’t come and watch teams play. “I only got to go to one cross country meet this year, so I missed my whole season. We didn’t get conference, state, or a normal banquet with family and friends. We also had a lot of people quit or decide not to join this year, so we missed out on having a larger team,” Senior Girls Cross Country runner Marissa Thompson said. With the sports at East High School being shut down for fall sports and possibly winter sports also Our school is not able to play in competitions and games to win for our school. Competing in sports like football, volleyball, cross country, and many more gives are school recognition, and shows other parents and student athletes that East high School athletes play to win. Social distancing is a big thing for the US right now, so with the guild lines telling us to stay six feet apart, sanitize all the time, wear a mask when outside of your home, and wash are hands often. This is a lot to do in practice, for example volleyball, all players have to touch the ball to keep it in the air, so they must clean them and sanitize them after people touch them. ” Practices were difficult and confusing at first because of social distance. I had on and off training which was stressful because we couldn’t use the school pool so I had to buy a membership for a pool and then since other schools are having the same issue they would be there and I couldn’t get enough practices in because it was too full,” senior swimmer Alaya Blake said.
What masks work best in sports? a good mask
VS
a bad mask
Disposable masks are not the best to use in sports because they can be very easily broke. When sport players were these masks their sweat can ruin the masks and that can make them itchy for some players. these masks can also only be used one for them to stay 100% effective.
East High Scroll
/7
Silence is story/R. Hayworth page editor/R. Hayworth photo illustrations/R. Hayworth
VIOLENCE
Tear gas. Rubber bullets. Curfews. Police standoffs. Over 7,000 demonstrations occurred this summer in support of the Black Liberation Movement. But for allies, the work is just beginning. One of the most important things non-POC allies can do is talk to family members and friends who hold harmful assumptions about people of color and address the racial injustices they perpetuate. The holidays are rapidly approaching, and those uncomfortable conversations are following closely behind. Here is some advice on how to have difficult conversations about race with those who do not agree with you. Set realistic expectations “What does change really mean? What would change actually look like? Sometimes just having the conversations is a change. Allowing others to hear what you’re saying is a change,” counselor Ryan Bracken said. You may not be able to change the core ideas held by your family members or friends through a single conversation, and that is okay. Setting a goal for the conversation is an important way to measure progress. You do not have to have a brawling debate over Christmas dinner to speak up against racial injustice. “My older family members, a lot of them are pretty racist. Usually I just ignore them, but every once in a while, I’m like ‘hey just because someone speaks a different language doesn’t mean they’re illegal, not only that, if they were born here or have citizenship they’re just as American as anyone else.’ Still, it’s like running into a brick wall with them. Even when they
East High Scroll
agree with me, the next day they’ll post some stupid stuff on their Facebook,” senior Dominic Morris said. Morris suggests challenging the ideas and beliefs of others with evidence and facts. That way your point is much stronger and therefore it is more likely that your family member or friend will be receptive. Do your research and stay informed “That close family unit is generally where we, as young people, start to identify with and form our own thoughts and opinions. As you become older you may start to be exposed to different information. When you are around your family, you’re starting to compare ‘what do I think and what does my family think’,” Bracken said. Having knowledge about what you are talking about is important. The information you use in conversations about race can come from a variety of sources: the news, personal stories from people of color, statistics, historical events, and more. “In my free time I do a lot of research. I try to go beyond the news. I’ll go on the DSM BLM twitter to see what they post, and I also try to listen to people on both sides, that way I get a feel for both sides,” Morris said. Having multiple sources for your beliefs is a way to strengthen your position for conversations with those who do not agree with you. Engaging in these conversations is an important for allies to do, but it is important not to make yourself the center of the story. The experiences of Black people and people of color belong to them alone. “Don’t
/8
Every holiday season, young people all over face holiday meals with family members who do not hold the same values as them. Read on to learn how to tackle hard conversations about racial injustice over the holidays.
nomenon that progressive teenagers and young claim things you don’t know of or haven’t adults will inevitably face a racist grandparent happened to you personally. It’s okay to talk about race, but make sure you’re not talking over or uncle and be forced to stay silent about their people who have actually experienced it,” Morris injustice or cause an argument to break out over Christmas dinner. said. De-escalating the situation Look out for your physical when things get aggressive and mental health “Sometimes when we are hearing someone “When you learn something new, it is going start to disagree with us it can put us on the deto require a certain change and sometimes those fense. A lot of what we see around these topics changes can feel uncomfortable and new. I think has a framework of either “you’re with me or one way we can help take care of ourselves is to against me,’” Bracken said. feel it. You’ve got to let yourself feel frustrated The prospect of tension is a large part of or uncomfortable and be curious as to where what makes these conversations undesirable or that comes from” Bracken said. scary. It is important to remember that these Talking about your beliefs with your family conversations are not aggressive in nature. members is an important way to solidify your “I think white people can be hesitant or afraid position and show your support for people of to talk about race because they don’t feel it’s their color. The more you talk about race, the easier it place or because it’s really just an uncomfortable becomes to start those conversations. conversation to have. Which is understandable, “My advice to someone who has a racist but not excusable. BIPOC people are LIVING family member is to stand firm in your beliefs. uncomfortably, to only have to talk about it is a You can always try and find ways to continue educating them and expressing your feelings, but privilege. Having the choice to avoid the converif someone disagrees with you for advocating for sation is a privilege. I think instead being hesitant the human rights of people of color then they’re or afraid, white people need to constantly seek ways to uplift and amplify the voices of honestly just a big ignorant hater. You have a people of color” Sellers said. community of people that support your beliefs When conversations about race even if your family does not, and within those take a turn for the worse, remember people you’ll find a family beyond blood” junior that the discomfort you are feeling Lyric Sellers said. is nothing compared to the systemic For someone who has different views about disadvantages that the people of color race inequality and white privilege than their you are speaking up for have parents or close family members, experienced. If a family it can be hard to speak up, member has a neglet alone speak out. ative reaction, it There is a far-toois likely well-known pheI think white people
a result of their beliefs being challenged. Do not allow their negative reaction to shake your belief in racial justice. “I diffuse the battle. I’m like ‘hey, I’m not going to insult you.’ I just chose to be passive. People start to wind down when you act passive because you don’t stoop to their level,” Morris said. Keep those conversations going “Any conversation that requires us to be out of our comfort zone and requires us to share in our vulnerability, that’s going to be a difficult place to be for students or adults or anybody,” Bracken said. It is hard to have conversations that feel like they are doing
nothing to persuade people to take action from racial justice, but it is important to look at the bigger picture. “It’s important that allies are willing to talk about race because being silent about issues concerning race is ultimately compliance towards those issues” Sellers said. One conversation is not going to change the world, but a continuous effort will yield changes in the stereotypical or negative attitudes held by many about people of color. “These conversations are necessary and worth doing with compassion and intentionality,” Bracken said.
can be hesitant or afraid to talk about race because they don’t feel it’s their place or because it’s really just an uncomfortable conversation to have. Which is
understandable, but not excusable.
-Lyric Sellers
East High Scroll
/9
The negative effects of online school
How online school has put a strain on student learning Story/Ptolemy. R Artist/Ptolemy. R Page editor/Ptolemy. R
An alarm wakes you up at 7 a.m. and you realize it is another Monday. Rolling out of bed and rubbing your eyes, you log into your school computer. Remembering the slew of missing assignments that you have yet to complete, you groan to yourself preparing for yet another week of virtual school. Virtual school has been an option for quite some time, but recently because of COVID-19 everyone has been using a multitude of programs to go to school from home. Many schools have chosen to use Zoom, an online chat room program that can be used to teach people. Other schools have decided to use Microsoft Teams and Canvas. Like Zoom, Teams is an online chatroom that allows student to meet in real time with teachers the same way they would in traditional school. But since it is an entirely virtual experience many students have to deal with their home and school at the same time. The sudden transition to at-home-learning may also cause some mental health issues with students. “I had become more and more depressed because I wasn’t getting the help I needed when I was doing online classes,” Adel High school sophomore Tessa Spiegel said. Other students also added insight on the effects virtual school had. “I barely go out and I can’t see my friends,” East high sophomore Sofia Desantiago said. These issues could present real threats to a student’s performance in school. “I did not get the help I needed, and I ended up failing my classes that semester,” Spiegel commented. Students were not the only ones noticing these changes. Teachers have also noticed the negative side effects of online school. “I have seen grades decline. I have reached out to some students as to why. Some students say that they have a lot of issues going on at home, some are just are not taking the virtual environment as seriously, and others are very stressed that they have not been taught time management skills.,” Virtual Campus English teacher Alexie Mobley said. Another thing that may be harder for student to do during online school is create relationships with their teachers the same way they
would if they were doing traditional learning. “In the virtual environment teachers aren’t always able to build the same relationships with students as we do in person.”, Mobley said. This could be caused by the isolation that comes with online programs. Because of COVID-19, students must obey restriction laws that prevent them from going to in person school. These laws include social distancing, mask mandates, and some stores even restrict the amount of people allowed in at a time. There’s not much that students can do about these laws other than follow them. However, there are ways to make the experience of online school more bearable. Teachers can try to interact with their student through games or Q&As to get to know each other more. They can also be mindful of the stress that student may be facing due to online school or their home life. COVID-19 has put 2020 on hold, but there are still many ways for people to come together and lift each other up.
“I had become more and more depressed because I wasn’t getting the help I needed when I was doing online classes,” Tessa Spiegal
Mental Health
&
Students Source/DaveneeFoundation.org/nimh.nih.org
20%-30%
Of adolescents have depression.
East High Scroll
/10
31.9%
Of adolescents have anxiety
2.9%
Of adolescents have bipolar disorder
How to get over the anxiety of turning your mic on and speaking during a virtual class A few steps could help change your perspective about the virtual environment
illustrations/ C. Hernandez
story/ C. Hernandez
Do you ever find yourself wanting to share your answer to the class but stop yourself ? Do you hesitate to answer because you think people will judge the way you sound so you keep your comments to yourself ? COVID-19 has impacted everyone this year whether it is a job loss, cancelled events, or transitioning to virtual learning. Many schools had to go virtual, or hybrid, for safety reasons. Students are learning and participating in online school from the comfort of their own home. Students went from having normal interactions every day to almost none, and this came with its own set of problems. The school setting has changed so much and caused many students to have issues whether it is now being behind or having to speak and turn cameras on. Speaking and turning cameras on during class is no problem for some, for others, it is not so easy. A few tips that can help you can overcome your fear of speaking during class.
Do not overthink it
The first thing you should realize is how small of a problem speaking during class really is. Now, of course students may have their own personal problems at home whether it is background noise or things going on behind the scenes. But if you have a comment or a question, I encourage you to speak up! Speaking with your class is a great way of staying engaged. Do not overwhelm yourself with the thought of speaking or turning your cameras on because I can guarantee that no one in your class cares what you look or sound like. Unless you have a friend in your class, they might tease you a bit. “Relax, take deep breaths and calm
down a bit and not think about what others will think when they see that your camera or mic is on,” student Hidee Luis said.
No one is judging you
Everyone is probably in the same boat as you are and is thinking the same thing. I know that many people are self-conscious about the way they sound to other people online or the noises in their home, but If you would like to and are comfortable, speak during class! I find speaking during class is much better than using the chat because having actual voice conversations seems to be the better choice. Your teacher might be surprised and will enjoy being able to have actual voice conversations with students. You would find that speaking is easier than you might have thought. This could encourage more students to start speaking up during class. “Kids think they are going to get judged by their looks or voice,” student Anamika Darjee said. “Not all people live in the same environment so some kids might be embarrassed to show their rooms.”
Spice things up!
Making light of the situation might help as well. Everyone is on edge during these crazy times. If you are comfortable with turning your camera on, choose a funny background. You could give your teacher a good laugh and make them feel as if they are not alone while speaking to small dots. This could also encourage other students to do the same. This is a good way of staying engaged with your teacher and your classmates. You could also put on a funny hat and make funny little quirks throughout class. Who knows? This could settle every-
one’s nerves from feeling stressed about this crazy school year. “All I do is tell my students I miss them and would love to see their smiling faces,” Spanish Teacher Ms. Macdonald said. “Honestly, I don’t think as long as it’s an expectation at DMPS that we aren’t requiring cameras there will be many students who don’t turn them on no matter what.” Virtual learning is a whole new experience for all of us. We have to work our way around and try to adapt to new changes. Learning online can be very stressful for some, but it doesn’t have to be. Make the most of your virtual experience and remember that nothing lasts forever. Hopefully in the near future we are able to return to a proper school setting.
3 steps to have a successful virtual school year
1. Make school
work a priority
2. Ask questions when you don’t understand 3. Try and engage with your class
KEY
Senior College Polls
Yes
I don’t know
Maybe
No
Prefer not to answer
Page editor/R. Hayworth & M. Hernandez
Find out how East seniors are feeling about college and where they are in the college planning process. 11.5%
76.9%
53.8%
23.1%
88.5%
46.2%
Are you planning to go to college?
Have you applied to one or more college?
have you completed fafsa?
57.7%
80.8%
53.8% 19.2%
35.5% 46.2%
3.8%
Have you applied for any scholarships? East High Scroll
Are you currently saving money for college expenses?
/12
Do you know what career you want to pursue in the future?
3.8%
76%
30.8%
34.6% 24%
26.9%
38.5%
Did your parents go to college? 15.4%
7.7%
Do you plan to take out student loans?
57.7%
Are you excited for college?
3.8%
7.7%
23.1%
11.5%
3.8% 80.8%
80.8% 73.1%
Is cost a factor you consider when thinking about college? 7.7% 42.3% 50%
Will you stay in iowa for college?
Are you worried about college? 3.8% I don’t know 3.8% trade school
3.8% 15.4% 30.8% 50%
23.1% private college
26.9% community college
42.3% state college
Do you feel like Do you feel like you What kind of are getting enough high school has college do you support for college prepared you for want to attend? planning? East High Scroll college?
/13
@easthighscroll
@EastScroll