DISTANCE LEARNING TURNS EDUCATION UPSIDE DOWN Teachers, students and parents adjust to online school
MACKENZIE CHEN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF mid the coronavirus threat, traditional schooling has been replaced by online “distance learning” programs that have raised confusion among teachers and students. “I had a lot of questions the first few weeks, especially when Governor Northam closed schools for the rest of the year,” social studies teacher Emer Johnson said.
A
MCLEAN STUDENTS ARE VERY DEDICATED. I KNOW IT HAS BEEN A CONSIDERABLE HURDLE FOR THEM, BUT I KNOW THEY ARE HARDWORKING.” -EMER JOHNSON SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER Although malfunctioning and insecure Blackboard services postponed online classes at the start, teachers have made the most out of the grim situation by adjusting their schedules and syllabi. Now, their main priority is to prepare students for the next school year while also prioritizing their mental health. “I spent lots of time transitioning my activities to a format that would be easily accessible to students,” Johnson said. “I also check in with [my students] during breaks in my teaching and meetings to see if they are doing alright.” Teachers have worked hard to create a comfortable and open learning environment through their computer screens, but students too have sacrificed a lot to further their education. “McLean students are very dedicated,” Johnson said. “I know it has been a considerable hurdle for them [too], but I know they are hardworking.” The announcement of the school closure left many students shocked and disappointed. “It’s inconvenient for everybody,” junior Lizzie Bryan said. “I had to adjust to online 4 | NEWS | JUNE
school and not being able to talk to the teachers in person.” One of the main complaints students have brought up is how disorganized the distance learning schedule is. “I didn’t think the school schedule was very effective,” Bryan said. “We have a 30-minute break after each class, which…I don’t think we need.” The grading modifications also caused concerns. Students will receive either the highest semester grade or the average grade of the first three quarters, with the opportunity to earn a half-letter grade boost based on work done online in the fourth quarter. This new grading policy was made to guarantee that every student would be satisfied with their final grade. “I think it’s fine if they don’t have a fourth quarter grade, but [FCPS] shouldn’t be telling students that it doesn’t matter if they do the work or not,” Bryan said. Although they have some complaints, students have expressed their gratitude for their teachers’ efforts. “Distance learning has been pretty smooth for the most part with my teachers by my side,” sophomore Phoebe Li said. “After all, the teachers are making sure we’re learning everything we’re supposed to know.”
Parents also had to modify their normal routine as a result of their children staying at home all day. Lizzie Bryan and her mother, Jane Bryan, formed a workspace arrangement for their busy schedules. “She doesn’t bother me,” Jane Bryan said. “We worked it out where she is upstairs and I am downstairs.” Like McLean students, parents have voiced concerns about the distance learning system. “There have been problems with [distance learning],” Jane Bryan said. “There is no grading, no checks and balances... I think going to class for 40 minutes is unnecessary.” Nonetheless, many of McLean’s parents have been thankful for their children’s teachers, who spent lots of time encouraging their development as critical thinkers. “I think the teachers are fine and doing the best they can under the circumstances,” Jane Bryan said. Despite the challenges distance learning may present, the strength of the community is what unites its members and allows them to have hope during the extended school closure. “I am very impressed with my students so far,” Johnson said. “I am moving forward— happy that the issues have been resolved.”
TERRIFIC TEACHER — Social studies teacher Emer Johnson prepares for her online class during the quarantine. McLean teachers have aimed to ensure their students are still learning as much as they can, despite strenuous circumstances. (Photo courtesy of Emer Johnson) Page design by Rebeka Rafi
