Life has changed quite a bit ever since March 2020. It was Mid-March, and we had just finished our exams, and were looking forward to our annual ‘fun week’ at school filled with dance, drama, carnival etc. Suddenly, out of nowhere our holidays started on March 14th instead of April 8th. We were excited on one hand that we got extra holidays, sad on other hand that we will miss our customary goodbyes, our lingering activities.
Anyway, we sighed, and moved on to enjoy our extra-long summer vacations with the added disadvantage of not being able to travel. Corona. Pandemic. Those words became real. However in July, when we were hopeful schools will reopen, we got our new class teachers’ messages and circulars from school.
School will not reopen, and it will be online, every message said.
Like troopers, we started making preparations, excited and nervous as to what lay ahead. We were excited, curious, nervous, butterflies in the stomach, lots of errors of logging on time, but thanks to the efforts of our teachers, parents and us – we became an online school.
There have been many advantages like not travelling in the pollution to the school, getting time with our families, being less tired etc. However, online classes have made us miss all our activities. School has been online for the past few months making us miss all the big celebrations. Many students having their last year in school have missed the drama and fun around their last year! There are many difficulties of adjusting and setting up for this new way of attending school.
To delve deeper into these feelings, these opposite thoughts of excited/happy and sad/missing, it will be a good idea to get some thoughts from other students as well. So, interviewing a couple of students will tell us how they feel. Here are the excerpts.
___________________________________________________________________
Sinchana, Student
How did you feel when you first heard that you were going to attend online classes?
I had never heard or attended online classes since nursery so I was very nervous but curious as to what or how it will be.
Were there certain measurements you had to take to be ready for online classes?
Yes, in our house, both me and my sister had online classes, so we had to arrange two rooms, two systems and internet should work with 2 full classes – it was not easy to begin with.
Are there extracurricular that you like better virtually than physical school? Are these activities good and enough?
We did not have activities like online magazines monthly, so it is better in a way as it keeps us occupied.
Are these online classes and interactions enough for the purpose of studying?
A bit better if recordings are available and we can study better because sometimes our friends too have logged out and can’t help us therefore.
How did you feel that you will not go to school physically?
Less travel, more time to ourselves, less distracted and more concentrating.
And what about missing friends?
It is very sad, with social distancing, haven’t been able to meet friends, miss the fun we had in school – while eating, while playing, while studying in class.
—————————–
Shikha, Student
How did you feel when you first heard that you were going to attend online classes?
I was kind of happy how and also a little sad – I wanted to be in a teacher’s class in front of that but couldn’t help it.
Were there certain measurements you had to take to be ready for online classes?
I had to renew my laptop, I had to buy Wi-Fi connection – all a big hassle for us.
Are there extracurricular activities that you like better virtually than physical school? Are these activities good and enough?
Activities in physical school are changed because of virtual – they are less interesting in virtual. Physical school activities are better as we interact more, and we do actual physical activities which keeps us healthy where virtual is sitting in a spot and doing it. I don’t like online activities too much.
Are these online classes and interactions enough for the keeping you happy?
Enough to keep us happy for the time being – good effort by staff and teachers who are working hard for the pandemic to continue us being in touch with education – but enough for the pandemic/time being (not forever)
How did you feel that you will not go to school physically? Is it better to be virtual?
Lot of time for ourselves, but also, we are not getting enough physical activities (not good for health), we are not able to go outside (bored), too much addicted to screen time and gadgets. Most of the homework is online, you need to do it through gadgets – there’s very little real homework – I don’t like that. And it’s too early in the morning.
Please rate physical and virtual classes on time utilization and Physical activity.
- Time utilization – I’d rate virtual class 5/10, physical class 7/10 because virtually we have only 30 minutes of class, actual classes have 45 minutes (more interaction). Though I like less time to study.
- Physical Activity – I’d rate virtual class 2/10, physical class 9/10 because in virtual classes we only move hands, and physical classes are super on physical activity like walking to the teacher’s desk.
Do you want physical school to reopen for this year or are you happy this year to be virtual?
Physical class should reopen mixed with virtual class, so we do not lose touch with virtual in case they are needed ever again.
In pandemic it is better to do virtual classes, but with physical classes, most students will study as much as needed and complete notes (teachers can’t check). Maybe twice in a week physical school and thrice virtual school.
(Another impromptu question came to mind to get a more in-depth view, because it felt that Sinchana came from looking forward to virtual and Shikha missed physical.)
Do you feel that due to the lockdown/virtual classes this whole year – you now really miss physical school?
- Shikha – I used to miss physical school as I was looking forward to class 7 – new building, new teachers, but now I am adjusting and now less cranky about missing school.
- Sinchana – Before the online classes, I used to somehow call it boring, oh I have to get up, and I used to love holidays – but now I know the importance of physical school, I miss it.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
These two interviews actually captured the reality from both ends. Some students might have looked upon online classes with glee to avoid reaching school early, tiredness, travel and homework. Some students missed physical school with a pang to begin with but got adjusted as we went along the year.
But in reality, there is no replacing being there – at school, with our friends, teachers, principals, sports fields, new buildings as almost seniors, canteen, and all the other things that make school what it is.
So it is great that we all adjusted, teachers and school worked hard, and we got time to hone our skills – with online classes – and we can continue do this once a week, but the reality is the kids want to be back in school.
