As the worldwide pandemic of the coronavirus shuts down travel and businesses, schools all across the nation have moved to online and distance learning to slow down the spread of the deadly virus. Two weeks in, student are beginning to settle in to a new way of doing school. 

“I do not necessarily dislike distance learning, but I do not love it,” Aislinn O’ Neill (11) said. 

Anylah Rembert (9) said distance learning was the best option.

“I think it is necessary to try and stop the spread of the coronavirus,” she said. 

Teachers have been instructed to move all assignments and assessments online so students can learn from home.

“I think we are assigned less work, but the assignments take longer to do,” O’ Neill said.  “I feel like it could be a lot worse. I would rather do online school rather than have to go to school over the summer, but I miss seeing my friends. We have ways to talk to each other like FaceTime and stuff, but it’s not the same.” 

Students are able to complete and work on assignments throughout the day. 

“One of the few things that I like about online school is that I can work at my own pace,” O’ Neill said.  “I usually take a little longer on my assignments and stuff, and when I’m at home I don’t have to worry about slowing other people down.”

Rembert also said she also enjoys the more relaxed timeline. 

“[What] I like about [distance learning] it is that I don’t feel rushed and I can work at my own pace,” Rembert said. “I feel happy that I don’t have to wake up early anymore but it is a little lonely because I don’t see my friends and the only people I talk to now are my family.”

But with the benefits come various challenges. 

“I don’t like how we now have to rely on textbooks to learn,” O’Neill said.  “I personally don’t learn by just reading information, so it has been harder to get work done. I prefer physically being in a classroom. I actually like going to school. I am grateful that we have the option to continue the school year online, but I like to be in the same room as my teacher. Not everyone has the best environment for learning. My house is typically really loud.”

Teachers are trying to keep a normal flow of assignments.

“So far, most of my teachers are giving similar assignments compared to what we were getting earlier in the school year,” O’ Neill said.  “[Math teacher Debra] Jerdon has been recording herself doing the notes online, which has been really helpful.”

O’Neill offered a word of advice for her classmates.

“[Distance learning] is new to everyone so I think it’s important to be patient with teachers, and I think it’s important for teachers to be patient with students, which I think they are,” she said.  

By Olivia Blackwell