M A R G A R I T A C A C H O P E R O & Z E H R A N O N E S
The Ripples Publications
As schools across the country begin to make a difficult decision to begin the school year with online learning, students and faculty adapt their classes to an online format. Different platforms such as, Zoom, Facebook, and MS Teams have been utilized as Learning Management Systems (LMS).
However, lack of real-time exchanges between the student and the teacher makes this arrangement a big challenge. Many of the students have unanswered questions about how they are going to manage learning online, as it is an unlikely adjustment from their conventional daily activities, not to mention that it is significantly different from their usual face-to-face classes. Nevertheless, those questions are sure to be answered here, so just keep scrolling!
The most frequent questions almost everyone may have asked themselves are: What if I have poor and unstable internet connection? What if I wasn’t able to attend the class? What if I forgot to press the turn in button on my IL task? The school has prepared for this and have suggested that teachers record their classes and upload it for those students who were unable to attend the class due to their internet. Moreover, teachers will be keeping track of their students’ progress through submission of written and visual outputs.
As such, dedication is demanded more from both learner and teacher. Students may suffer from pangs of procrastination once tweets or notifications begin to sound, or they may not feel like attending classes, especially when it’s raining and cold in a binge-watch-Netflix type of day. Likewise, teachers may be overwhelmed by the continuous grind of digital preparations to the point that they just might want to throw their papers up in the air and spend their weekends not ruminating about lesson plans. In spite of these, determination and the willingness to learn must always be the ultimate fruit of our intentions.
But worry not. Dr. Michel Guevara, our Associate Principal for Curriculum and Instruction, has three tips, just to help each other get by during these times. Firstly, clarity of purpose. Be clear about why you are attending classes. Ask yourself: Whose benefit will it serve? You’re learning for you and your future. Are you doing this just because you have to, or because you actually want to?
Secondly, respect. Know that each one has strengths and weaknesses and neither one should ever be taken as a chance for us to hurt or offend them in any way. Be men and women of good nature and never let an insulting remark escape our lips: understand the situation. This way, we learn in a positive atmosphere.
Finally, be aware that you are an Atenean. Being called an Atenean is not merely a label, but a value of which we all must learn to live by. Be patient down to your fingertips, be understanding and be true. Keep in mind the 7C’s and develop a good moral compass. Sir Mike also suggests that in the event that you find teacher-facilitated sessions a bit shorter than usual, then online group studies are encouraged. But only if you need to!
Confusion and unsteadiness is just a natural phase in a process. But this does not mean that it will just keep on getting harder. All you need is to take one step at a time and eventually, adapting to these changes will get easier. If not learn, create your own ways to adjust. However, keep in mind that there will always be limitations. As Dr. Guevara said, “Develop a good moral compass, create new and honest ways to adjust”. More so that teachers will not always be there to remind and tell you of things that are needed to be done, it is also important to learn to take initiative and responsibility.
Now, what if you just suddenly lose track of what day it is? How will you keep up with all your workload without breaking down? How will you finish them without procrastinating? Mr. Primo Escobañez, our Associate Principal for Formation, suggests that independent learning is very important at this time and that we maximize our virtual classes. We all need to learn how to manage our time well.
According to Christina Scalise, an eminent inspirational writer, organization is not about perfection. It is about efficiency, and that it reduces stress and saves time by improving your quality of life. With that in mind, applications like Google Calendar and Microsoft Scheduler can help you monitor your daily schedule, school work, and pretty much everything. This way, learning on your own won’t be as difficult as you deem it to be.
You may think of online learning as one of the greatest struggles a student could possibly encounter. However, in the digital world we are living right now, using different platforms and online space can help you in discovering and exploring new things, therefore also helping you to become more flexible as a student that eventually helps you to adjust easier and faster to new environments and challenges that this school year will bring. Hence, these platforms can actually benefit you not just as a student but also as a person. You just need the right drive, the right attitude, and the right mindset.
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