Public schooling in a postCOVID-19 world

“I think there are some benefits for some of our students to opportunities like what we’ve had with remote learning,” Wheat said. Many of the students feel this way too, they feel that having a more flexible schedule school year for some is a good idea. “They have the online school that they’re offering for online students so it is already changing for future years already. I think that’s good because it’s good to have two options, either in-person or online, especially right now,” Kelecha said. Other than just the way students could be able to learn in the future, many anticipate a difference in the students themselves. After how difficult last year has been for many, students will most likely be permanently changed. “I think there will be some change, definitely in the people,” Lauffer said. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost every aspect of education for the last year and a half, and many wonder if it will continue to change it years down the road. “I do think there will be lasting effects, and there already have been,” Kelecha said.

Why doesn’t StudentVUE show By: Morgan Montgomery and Abby Wallace Seeing mental students who want to be On TeacherVue, different ways. Seeing health on StudentVue extremely private and physical and mental dis- exactly what a student is would also be confiden- others who are an open abilities are shown on the going through and how tial. No one but the teach- book,” Brown said. “I roster, yet mental illnesses it affects them at school er and the student would always think it’d be helpare not. According to the could help teachers know about a student’s ful for teachers to know National Institute of Men- empathize with students mental health. Other because it’s hard for a tal Health, an estimated more. students wouldn’t have teacher to educate the 49.5% of teenagers from One person’s access to this, so it would whole child when such a ages of 13-18 had some sort of mental illness in 2019. Mental illnesses mental health may be more severe than another and teachers should be be very personal and wouldn’t be able to large piece of information is missing.” Freshman “Most often it is the parent, parental are just as important as aware of how to help be spread objection when we don’t Avery Mulphysical and mental dis- them, whether that be around the learn information about lens agrees, abilities so why, exactly, having some sort of trainschool. a child’s mental well- and wants aren’t they shown as ing for teachers or just being.” teachers to well? Mental health is taking a quick class on how to treat it. Student counselor -Teri Daugherty be aware of students’ something that needs to Treating each stu- Amy Brown, an advocate mental health, as it would be recognized. If a stu- dent as if they are all the for mental health, thinks help both students and dent isn’t doing the best same and some are just seeing mental health is teachers alike. in school, most teachers lazier than others is very important, but should be “I think they automatically assume harmful to those students up to the students if it is should [show mental illthey’re a bad student but who are struggling and shown on TeacherVue. nesses], because a lot of in reality, they could be “Just like ev- the teachers are unaware struggling with a mental makes them feel ignored. erything else, there are of what the kids are going illness.

Advisory lessons touch on it, but the lessons don’t acknowledge it in the way they should. The lessons should take time to make sure students aren’t struggling by assigning less homework, or even taking breaks in class.

Being able to see which students struggle with mental illnesses can help teachers understand why a student isn’t getting work done or why they aren’t as motivated to do anything. Mental illnesses require a lot of support and patience, and teachers don’t always provide that. Mental illnesses can affect students in 14 THE EYRIE