Students Share Opinions on Being Back in School
COVID-19 has interrupted the lives of millions around the world since 2019. Luckily, things are returning back to normal as students learn in school full-time. But how do students here at Kingsway feel about it?
A recently conducted survey shows that being back in school brings certain pros and cons. Out of seven students, most enjoy learning at school again. They can see friends again in person, and they can get more help from teachers.
But some students seemed to have enjoyed virtual learning better. They could learn at their own pace while attending virtual office hours when needed.
To make it easier for both virtual and in-person students to start school at the same time, homeroom began at 9:25 last year. This was more than an hour later than the previous start time. It makes sense that about 57% of students are finding it difficult to transition to an earlier start time. Fortunately, though, Kingsway has moved the start time this year to about 30 minutes later than the original 7:24 homeroom and class start time Now, homeroom begins at 7:34 and class does not start until 7:54.
While a variety of new changes came out of COVID-19, one topic keeps coming up: face masks. The same survey assessed students’ opinions on wearing face coverings in school. Four out of seven students prefer wearing a mask as opposed to not wearing one. They feel as though it protects them not only when they wear one, but also as other students wear one.
On the other hand, one out of seven students reported disliking wearing a face mask. It makes it difficult to breathe, especially in the crowded hallway. Plus, students and staff can no longer see each other’s entire faces, which is another aspect that makes this year different.
Regardless of varying opinions, being back in school has made this year seem more “normal.” And if everyone does their part, future school years will return back to normal as well.
