Greetings and welcome to my second post aimed at providing a student perspective on the current state of schooling and living under social distancing because of the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Only one four-day week of remote schooling has gone by, but to me, it strangely seems as though we’ve been doing this method of learning for much longer. I’ve already grown to appreciate the fact that I can now wake up an hour later than usual, as well as my new opportunity to sip freshly-brewed tea while watching a pre-recorded Economics presentation.
E-learning has also relaxed my day immensely, giving me more flexibility in what I do between Google Meets classes and assignments. I’ve seen this go two ways: I either take the freed up time to focus on non-school-related activities (I’ll write a separate post about how I use my downtime to relieve isolation anxiety and how you might, too), or I use the time to complete schoolwork more slowly and deliberately, sitting at my computer until my hands, head, and back ache. The latter option happens without me even noticing it – it’s so easy to stare at that essay you’re writing for two hours instead of 45 minutes, as you planned, because you simply have the time. However, I’ve found that instead of adding to my productivity and well-being, this way of using my time detracts from it because I waste hours working and thinking about things that could have been finished in a fraction of the time.
So far, I’ve felt that my teachers have adjusted well to teaching online, whether it be through Google Meets discussions, assigned reading, or video lessons. Some classes are, predictably, more difficult to carry on as usual without face-to-face classroom learning, such as Chemistry and Visual Arts, which often require in-class materials for labs and projects. However, these obstacles seem to have been overcome with alternative ways of delivering hands-on skills being presented (through lab videos and independent study units).
I wish all of you continued perseverance, good health and comfort in these arduous and bizarre times.
Until next time,
Christina