Last school year, BRHS launched a remote learning option on select days throughout the year. With this school year’s last remote day – May 26 – approaching, students and staff remain divided about the plan’s effectiveness.
As of May, about 155 students had opted for in-person learning on the school’s 10 remote days while about 258 opted for online classes. Teachers are slated to work in person on two of those days and remotely on eight. If a student doesn’t have access to devices at home, the school provides them.
”I think that remote was beneficial for some students; having a select number of days provided a balance for remote and in person students,” Tene Kelly, an assistant principal, said. “One thing I’d want to improve on is making the dates more flexible. The day after the snow day should’ve been remote, but it wasn’t on the calendar.”
Pedro Rabeje, a U.S History teacher, thinks there are both good and bad things about online classes. “One thing I like about online classes is that they prepare students for the future, since they will be working from far away,’’ he said. “The bad part about online classes is the attendance. Students think they can skip classes and postpone the work. I once had a class where only two students attended.’’
Teacher Jennifer Lippold finds remote days more convenient. “Remote learning allows me to spend less time on the road, since I live far away,’’ she said.
Ms. Lippold added that online classes are good because they give students the opportunity to be relaxed at home where everyone is calmer.
English teacher Daniel Butler enjoys remote learning because it gives students a chance to work independently. He says that online classes build students’ confidence to ask questions if in need of help because, he won’t be there walking around to check up on them. He added that the students work just as good as in person and when he does group work he puts students into break out rooms where they discuss ideas like normal.
Online classes can be hard to manage in terms of discipline. Students have a harder time following directions when they are not face to face with their teachers. “It can be really difficult to turn on their cameras sometimes, even when I ask,” Mr. Rabeje said.
Students who chose in-person learning experienced school days that are less serious and intimidating. “Coming to school on remote days is less work and more fun, since there are less students,” Ryleigh Curry, a sophomore, said. “An improvement that could be implemented in remote learning is having a recording posted in the class in case some students have technical difficulties and miss the lesson.”
Doing online classes can be distracting, due to students being in the comfort of their home. “I come in person because I am more focused here than being at home, where I am easily distracted by my phone,” Luis Chicaiza, a junior, said. “I also dislike that I have to keep my camera on while I am in online classes.’’
Since online classes are at home, students get to learn without struggling to get to school early. “I take online classes because on my way to school, I always have trouble catching the bus. However, when online, I don’t need to worry about that problem since I can stay in my room for classes,” Landon Garcia, a junior, said.
While in-person classes may fit some students’ preferences, some students perform better through online classes because of the extra access to lessons. “I feel very good, because it helps prepare us for some online college classes and teaches us more skills,” Carlos Canarte, a freshman, said. “It’s better technology, more advanced and you learn how to be better with technology.’’
