Written by Brian Li & Jennifer Luk
This year continues to be a never-ending roller coaster that has turned our lives upside down. Before the school year started, students knew they were headed into a quadmester format as opposed to the traditional two-semester system at St. Augustine CHS. Students were used to attending four classes a day, seeing their friends, and talking in person to teachers about their studies. Now, students attend two classes for two and a half hours, attend school in-person every other day (or not at all if they choose not to attend in person), and teachers can be reached primarily through email. From a glance, it seems like students can adapt easily. However, these changes have created some minor inconveniences that students have shown they are struggling with. We headed into this new school year without any experience and these are some challenges we have encountered so far.
- Different style of learning
Our daily lives have dramatically changed and perhaps one of the most significant changes for students is the newly adjusted learning methods. It’s no secret that courses are going at a different, quicker pace, tests are all online, and resources, such as printouts, are not so readily available anymore. Some students still attend one class in person, but the big change is the move to online classes. Many stare at a screen for two to five hours a day with minimal breaks every other hour. This definitely has an effect on a student’s health, focus, and performance. Other changes that students need to deal with is how new course material is being delivered. Some teachers have resorted to recording videos for students to watch for a lesson while some continue to teach during their daily meetings. Depending on the student, they may thrive with this change with videos as lessons; however, some may see a decline in their academic performance.
- Intensive requirements of self-discipline
One of the biggest challenges for students is to maintain discipline and manage time effectively. While online learning provides students with more flexibility, it also translates to increased distractions and a lack of motivation. From social media, Netflix, and video games to the temptation of crawling back in bed, students can easily derail from listening to lessons and completing assignments. The amount of freedom, both an advantage and disadvantage, have put students at a test. Time management and organizational skills are critical to stay on top of the workload and adjust to the fast-paced learning of quadmester.
- Lack of opportunities
Now that the second half of school is done purely online, previous opportunities presented by different clubs at school have been reduced to online activities only. Contrary to after school activities in person, students heading into this year may find themselves not being able to participate in the school community as much as in previous years. While students can still join clubs like SPECTRUM and Animal Rights Committee, it will definitely be a different experience to being in person. It is harder to build a relationship through a screen than in person.
In the midst of a health crisis, the future of our education method remained uncertain. However, as we continue to live and learn in this style, we will eventually find comfort within our new normal.
Titan Times 