EL Students Look Back Over a Year of Remote Learning

From March 13, 2020 to January 28, 2021, students of the East Longmeadow Public Schools have endured quite the bumpy ride of remote learning. What was supposed to be a two-week break turned into almost a full school year in quarantine. 

While the rest of the world was forced to put their plans on hold, these students–as well as many other middle and high schoolers across the country–had to continue their education, in order to keep up with state benchmarks. The appearance of school, however, morphed into something completely different. 

Google meets galore! 

ELPS was fortunate enough to have distributed computers to all students earlier last school year, so the transition to remote learning went more smoothly than other districts. Each student’s Chromebook or other laptop became their own personal window into each class. 

Click on, click off. Easy enough, right? Some students loved the new schedule, while others couldn’t wait to get back to the building. 

Isabelle LaRocque, a senior at East Longmeadow High School, spoke of last spring’s remote learning situation saying, “I liked that better because I could do it on my own time.” Waking up late and taking each day one assignment at a time did have its perks. 

But as Gavin Goncalves, a seventh grader at Birchland Park Middle School, said, “I was just trying to complete assignments last year, and this year I’m actually learning.” Maybe last year’s online learning schedule was a little too easy. Students got the luxury of extra sleep but missed out on the distinct effect that in-person classes have. 

Luckily, the teachers and administrators came up with a much more well-suited online schedule for the 2020-2021 school year. 

Raina Plevyak, also a senior at ELHS, said, “This year, there’s definitely more of a flow. I feel like there has been more time to work out the kinks, which has been in our favor. And I think this year is more productive than last spring.” 

With the online classes more closely resembling regular school, students were able to establish schedules that were somewhat normal, although not exactly the same as before the pandemic. 

Many students struggled to stay on top of their schoolwork, since the teachers weren’t able to keep an eye on each individual outside of the classroom. Without the motivation of others, some students, including Plevyak, even felt as if “school feels way less mandatory and way more optional,” although they knew it wasn’t. 

“A lot of times, I’ll find that I have trouble actually focusing or just learning over screen when there are distractions in my home, or when I’m not forced to be in [the google meet],” said ELHS junior, Wyatt Poole. 

Ordinary objects at home can become major distractions, especially when cameras aren’t mandatory in class. The same technology that is being used for school can even become a distraction. Students’ minds are constantly wondering, whether they like it or not. Being deprived of a classroom setting can seriously detriment their ability to focus and retain information. 

Aside from the academic aspect, online learning has also affected students’ social lives. 

“I think the lack of social interaction is really making a difference for a lot of kids, myself included. …I hate being alone; it’s depressing, honestly. I can’t stand just being in my room all day and not seeing any of my friends or teachers,” said Poole. 

School is a place of learning, but it is also a place for making friends and bonding with peers. During remote learning, there is little to no social interaction between students. All they are able to do is stare straight at the screen. 

This situation is obviously not ideal, but the students understand that the teachers and administration are just as frustrated. 

“This year is a lot more structured, which I do appreciate, because I know Mr. Paige is trying to keep everything as normal as possible,” said LaRocque. 

Poole also concluded that “it’s so hard for the teachers, too. They like seeing kids. They like their jobs. That’s why they do it.” 

It’s easy to get caught up in the frustration of one’s own situation before realizing that this is a global issue. In light of that, it is always good to take a step back and appreciate all the moving parts that make each day run as smoothly as possible. 

There is no one to blame for remote learning–and it may not be the best–but we have come a long way since March. And with hybrid learning starting up, there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel for everyone.