The Occurrence Vol. 2, Issue 1

Page 1

the occurrence

STUDENTS OPT FOR REMOTE LEARNING

Virtual Expectations

BRyant Junior High | OCTOBER 15, 2o20 | vol 2, issue 1

Michelle Alverio teaches math remotely first period. Over 50 junior high teachers were selected to teach virtually. PHOTO BY GABI DAWSON

BINGE-WORthy. . . . . . . . .Page 2 GOFF ROMANCE. . . . . . .Page 3 MASK EFFECTIVENESS. . .PAGE 4 PANDEMIC Sports. . . . . . .PAGE 8

kenzie robertson, co-editor-in-chief OVID-19, a global pandmic that has caused over 1 million deaths worldwide, has affected all of us. Across the nation, changes have occurred to flatten the curve or reduce the spread of the virus; this includes education. During the summer, parents were given a survey asking whether they were wanted their child to attend on-site or virtual school. Around 400 junior high students selected virtual, almost onethird of the student body at the school. Joseph Allbritton, assistant principal, said that there were some issues regarding the survey. “Part of signing up for virtual was that you would have reliable Internet so when people were surveyed and had to make the decision, everybody that did it did not have reliable Internet. People that signed up, I think, didn’t read everything that was gonna be required- all the prerequisites- and so we’ve had some things we have to overcome as a district, you know, trying to get people hooked up,” he said. Ben Perry, math teacher and girls basketball coach, has four periods of virtual class, with numbers of students ranging from 34 to 44. He states that it is more difficult to teach compared to onsite. “It takes much more planning and innovation. Also, it is much harder to stay on top of attendance, grades, and questions. I am constantly answering emails as well as in-class Zoom questions as well as parent phone calls. Get-

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ting students to get their work in seems I just call the parent and notify them of like a pleading process as opposed to an the behavior. I don’t have many issues expectation. It is also harder to schedule because at the beginning of the year, I one-on-one with students. I am able to tell the students that each Zoom session do it, but it is much harder,” Perry said. is recorded and turned in at the end of Although teachers were asked if the day,” he said. they would like to teach virtually or not, Perry also touches on some of the it was still a hard task to do. schools policies for virtual. “The difficult part of all of this was “There are many policies for virtual the master schedule and not putting too that are very similar to school policies of big of a workload on the other teachers. conduct. Being in Zoom for attendance What we’ve done for the core classes is a is a school policy and having the ability lot of teachers might teach two or three to Zoom and be online is also a previrtual classes, and requisite for virtual two or three regu“ I could see it [virtual], learning,” he said. lar classes,” Allbrit Perry believes that with the way things are ton said. virtual school will be going right now, being an option for next Allbritton an option [next year], also says that virsemester, and more. but we have not made tual school being “If we prove that it an option next seis possible for stuthat decision yet.” mester relies heavdents to do virtual ily on COVID-19. school, and still be successful, then it “I think that relies on where we are opens many doors for students, parents, at with COVID, and what the governor and school districts. If done correctsays and the Department of Education ly it could be a major benefit for some and the Department of Health and the schools,” he said. CDC, and the President, and there’s a lot that goes into that. I could see it, with As of Oct. 16, the way things are going right now, beBenton School Dising an option, but we have not made that decision yet,” he said trict will hold all Perry states that discipline hasn’t Friday classes been much of an issue yet, but he does have a procedure for when problems online. There ARE arise. NO PLANS AT THE “I usually don’t have many issues. If TIME OF PUBLICATION it gets too out of hand, I kick them out of Zoom and into a waiting room to cool FOR BRYANT TO off and then see how they act when I allow them in. If behavior continues, then FOLLOW.

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