Saadhvi Narayanan | ’20-’21 Director of Kiwanis & Member Relations
For some Whitney students, school is the small, square-like building with cardboard walls that project the high-pitched screams of some of its youngest students across campus. For others, it is the place of tests, homework, and repetitive six-hour days. For most, however, Whitney High School, even with school in its name, is home. But is home school? The COVID-19 pandemic has forced school districts across the state to take extra precautions and make school online with asynchronous and synchronous learning periods. Many concerns came about to students and parents alike with this information: What if we get distracted? What if I do not have access to a device? Will I see my friends? How am I going to learn?. It seemed that home just wasn’t school. But there is a way to make it so. Here are some tips and tricks to practice during the school to make home the new school to ensure success for students all across the world. 1.
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Set timers. With odd start times to classes and breaks after every class for different lengths, it is very easy to lose track of time. Writing a note with the start times can solve it, but remembering to constantly check the time makes that method a problem. To solve this, set an alarm for every start time of every period. That way, even if you are overly-enjoying your break or leave the computer screen, you can quickly run back just in time for attendance. Set a designated work space. Studies have shown that if you study in the same place, you are likely to remember the information you studied in that place when you are there. So, if you designate a clean workspace with everything you need, you can stay focused and remember the material you learned because of your location. Keep up with your friends. Even though you cannot meet with your friends as you usually do at school, you can still keep in touch with your friends. Text them during your breaks to talk about a class you just had. FaceTime them at lunch and talk together. Whatever you do, know that maintaining this social interaction with your friends will always benefit you, no matter the circumstances. Eat. Eat. Eat. Now that you don’t have to commute to school, you have all the time in the world to eat. Grab a bite to give you energy before you start your day. Ask questions. Everyone is going through tough times right now. We are all here to support one another. So, if you find something that you learned difficult because of the new learning system, don’t be afraid to ask your teachers any questions you have. Participate. With school not in-person, your teacher will find it more difficult to know if you actually understood the material or not. On top of this, they will feel as if they are not teaching a real class, as he or she may simply be seeing closed videos and muted mikes. Help your teacher and create a more interactive learning environment by participating at every opportunity. You will engage your classmates and keep learning as active as it was before the pandemic. Lend a Helping Hand. Every student, teacher, parent, and sibling is finding it difficult to cope with these times. Whenever you see someone struggling, offer to help. Whether it be from a math problem solution to emotional support, provide what you can to help those around you succeed. After all, the success of the world will help your success too.
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