As we all know, the COVID-19 outbreak has changed life as we know it. We are required to wear masks in places such as grocery stores, restaurants, and essentially everywhere. All public places are regularly sanitized in hopes to flatten the curve. The safety precautions put in place have been proven effective, meaning that we must continue to take such actions to prevent another outbreak.

One of the many things that have been hard to get used to is school. Now that most schools are at 25% or 50% percent capacity, a majority of schooling is done online. Yes, this is a huge change for students and teachers, but what about the younger students? The Charles Street Times was able to speak to some elementary school students about their opinions on online schooling and their experience of going to school during a pandemic.

Younger students are tasked with the responsibility of keeping masks on in school. One kindergarten student I spoke to was put in time out for taking his mask off during gym class. The younger students don’t fully understand that masks are essential, but are still required to follow the rules correctly.

When asked about their views on schooling right now, Avery Egan, a 5th grader at Harding Elementary School, says her feelings about hybrid learning are inconsistent. She says she is okay with the new way of learning up until she experiences glitching on the chrome books. “Sometimes in the middle of class the screen freezes and I don’t know what the teacher is doing and it makes it hard to learn.” She also spoke about how kids her age need more of a hands-on learning experience, especially the students who need a little extra help. Avery Egan says how she has, “trouble with math and even though I go into school every other day, when I’m home it’s hard to understand what the teacher is teaching.” She goes on to say that her mom has helped her a lot through the new learning process, but parents don’t always understand what their child is learning.

Parents are doing an excessive amount of teaching on their own part. They’re given the responsibility of teaching their children the new technology, as well as new applications like Google Classroom and Google Meets. Furthermore, a general understanding of what their children are learning at school is essential. For many parents, having to watch and help their children with online school while having to maintain their own job is a very difficult task. 

Ryan Egan, a 2nd grader at Harding Elementary School, says he likes online schooling better than going into school. He admits he can, “play with my toys and iPad in the middle of class, and the teacher doesn’t know.” This is an issue that students of all ages are experiencing. The distraction issues at home are really hard to work with. Home isn’t your typical learning environment, as a classroom keeps students more focused and motivated to do work. This is true especially for the young students who are often glued to their toys and electronics. Keeping the kids focused and engaged can be a difficult task especially when in the comfort of their own homes.

Hybrid learning is the best we can do in our current situation. Although there are some downsides, everyone is trying their best to adapt to this new way of life. There is not much we can do to change it other than social distance, wear masks, and try our best to keep the curve flat.