Maiah Islam ‘21 | Molly Limaye ‘21
Feedback plays a critical role in determining whether adaptations to new contexts are successful and this seems more true than ever in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. After two weeks of online learning, EA students have several suggestions on improving their class experiences.
Given the drastic changes to EA’s daily schedule over the past few weeks, many students appreciate when teachers try to maintain some semblance of a normal class structure. As Allie Sillo ‘21 describes, “We’ve grown accustomed to a certain style of learning with each teacher and it’s nice that that’s not changing amid this craziness and adding to all of the confusion.” Many EA students currently miss aspects of their pre-quarantine lives, so when teachers continue to hold classes like normal, students feel a sense of comfort. Sillo points out: “For example, in APUSH we are still having discussions and taking notes, and in my English class, we still have class discussions about the readings.” Leanna Knight ‘21 also comments on how one of her teachers is trying to replicate the normal school day: “She posted a video on Canvas explaining the slideshow and explains the material in class the same way she would in person.” Kate Hershey ‘20 adds that when “teachers attempt to run class the same way as usual,” it feels “the most comfortable” for her and helps to put her “in the right headspace to do work.” Lee Billmyer, Upper School English teacher, explains her efforts to continue class discussions to keep students engaged with the material: “Keeping everyone engaged is the biggest challenge as we stare at computer screens for endless hours. Discussing what we read brings students’ voices into the room and allows everyone to share observations that inspire us to think more deeply about what we read.”
One example of maintaining a sense of normalcy in the classroom to benefit students in managing class participation through hand-raising. With a new grading system for the fourth quarter based on effort, some students are concerned that in-class participation will be heavily emphasised in grade calculation. Students like Sona Bardakjian ‘21 are concerned that “participation could get really competitive because everyone is trying to make their points.” As students vie for class participation credit, some teachers have returned to the classic system of hand-raising on Zoom. Eliza Aldridge ‘21 states that she “really appreciates” when her “teachers call on people during the Zoom call, rather than having the students have a free for all.” Aldridge explains that “it’s better for students to be called on than to have us talk over each other which can be chaotic.” Andrew Shimrock, Upper School Spanish teacher, expands on this tactic which he utilizes in his own class: “In my classes, I noticed students actually wanting to raise their hands and appreciating the fact that they were being called on.” He describes how the hand-raising made him and his students “nostalgic for the normal classroom experience” and how it both “makes the class feel more like an in-person class” and “prevents students from monopolizing the class discussions.” He adds that the system has “worked really well” and he “would definitely recommend it to fellow colleagues.”
Teachers can also help students manage the uncertainty and stress of online classes by organizing their plans in a way that is accessible to students. Students appreciate when their teachers share their lesson plans over email or through Canvas. Logan Schlitt ‘23 explains, “Some of my teachers make a module to put a plan of what they are doing that day. In the module, there are the essential worksheets, links to helpful videos, and homework assignments.”
Students also appreciate that several of their teachers are opening up office hours for their students. Mikel Zahralddin ‘21 explains that he likes when some of his teachers “leave time for office hours” so that students can “pop in and ask questions.” Given that students can no longer stop by their teacher’s office whenever they need help, providing office hours or designated times to allow students to ask questions can be extremely beneficial for students who need some extra help or guidance. Some students have even mentioned having a designated office hours block at the end of the day to make it easier for students to set up meetings with their teachers.
Another aspect of online learning that students appreciate is collaborative projects. All EA students currently live in quarantine, so students no longer interact with their classmates in person and spend extended periods of time working alone at home. Therefore, assigning group projects encourages students to collaborate with their peers over Zoom or other platforms when they otherwise would be sitting at home working by themselves. As human interaction becomes increasingly limited, increased project collaboration online can be very beneficial to student wellbeing. Kathryn Lynn ‘22 describes her chemistry class: “Instead of sitting in a class where no one talked except for the teacher, we got to collaborate, which was nice because we haven’t been able to talk to many people since school closed.” Hershey agrees that her “best experiences so far have been in classes where the teacher has found ways for us to continue interacting with our classmates, whether it be on group projects or doing class activities in the ‘breakout rooms’ within Zoom.” David Sigel, Upper School Art teacher, describes his efforts to emphasize collaborative projects in his classroom, as teachers “need to create opportunities and reinforce peer relationships through collaborative projects,” so in his art classes, he works to make sure his students are “willing to be open, receptive, and responsive to criticisms and encouragement,“ doing so “through collaboration.” Charles Bryant, Upper School History teacher, also utilizes “group-centered projects looking forward at material” to allow students “to hone analytical, historical-thinking skills, and ‘pre-teach’ each other.”
Students also appreciate teachers’ efforts to make classes more interesting during this considerably monotonous time. Many students are also very upset about missing sports, events, their friends and their normal school routine. Therefore, students appreciate when teachers make an effort to make online school more enjoyable and keep students engaged and interested by implementing creative projects and assignments. Lauren Bassett ‘20 describes her teacher’s creative assignments in her 2D Design class, despite the fact that “the idea of taking an art class from home seems challenging.” She explains that “Mr. Sigel has been super creative and we’ve used our iPads for really cool projects like digital animations. We are all drawing an image and then passing it to a classmate for them to expand upon it, ultimately making a children’s storybook.”
Clearly the feedback at this point is only intended to improve the online learning experience. Teachers should know their efforts are appreciated. EA’s administration should officially gather and store feedback so that teachers can build on what works and make future online learning even stronger.