By Anjuli Niyogi and Leanna Yu, The Thunderbolt Editors
On Friday, March 13th, all schools in the San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD) waved goodbye to their classmates and wished their teachers well for the next few weeks. While schools initially planned for students and teachers to return after spring break, the period of online learning was gradually extended until Superintendent Kevin Skelly announced the decision for schooling to remain online for the remainder of the semester.
In addition to the new virtual learning, the Board of Trustees decided that the SMUHSD would be adopting a Credit/No Credit grading system for the 2020 spring semester. For more information, visit The Thunderbolt’s latest article and for further questions about learning and grading, the district website offers answers to many FAQs.
Online schooling has been a learning experience for everyone at Mills; no two classes are being conducted in the same manner. Teachers have had to adjust their curriculum as well as their methods of teaching, grading, and scheduling for classes. Many teachers have opted for scheduled Zoom conferences throughout the week or pre-filmed video lectures to continue at home learning for students, while others have modified the curriculum course work accordingly. Ms. Alberta, an AP Language & Composition teacher at Mills, stated that she has altered her methods of teaching by giving “more explicit instructions on the actual assignment, office hours twice a week, and [being] more flexible with due dates—more so than usual.” She has also mentioned how this trial of virtual learning will help her and her students in the future; she plans to “continue providing more explicit instructions on assignments, feel more at ease with technology, and will embed more when [we] return to ‘regular’ school [and] classes.”
In terms of how effective online learning has been, AP Environmental Science and Biology I teacher Ms. Michot commented that “There is no substitute to direct contact in the classroom when I’m talking and being able to see students’ faces. I can tell immediately when students don’t understand something… I think there’s a huge loss with online learning and students need direct contact and encouragement, moment-to-moment.” Ms. Michot has chosen not to “water or dilute down” the curriculum despite the difficulties of online learning. She stated that “Even though we’ve moved to Credit/No Credit, I think it’s important that students stay connected to learning, not for the grade, but to understand that this is what gives them the foundation.”
While teachers have struggled with changing curriculum, students have faced their own set of difficulties. For instance, understanding difficult assignments has become much harder without frequent in-person access to teachers. Although Superintendent Skelly has asked teachers to post office hours when students can virtually reach them, Ms. Alberta stated that office hours seem to work the least. “I know, [it’s] ironic—[office hours have been] both helpful and not helpful […] although needed, [it] seems to be the least effective [and] not many students show up.”
The curriculum has also been taught in a less peer-focused way than normal. For some students who find that collaboration greatly helps their learning process, the adjustment has been challenging. California’s common core curriculum generally invests heavily in peer to peer interaction, but this style falls short with distance learning. Victoria Lin (10) reflected on her experience with collaborative learning; “It’s pretty circumstantial for me. However, distance learning has made it a little harder to understand new concepts because you can only ask so much in a Zoom call before time is up.”
On the contrary, some students have easily adjusted to virtual learning and find it more suitable for themselves. Ms. Michot touched upon this idea, stating, “Some students thrived… having autonomy over their schedule so that they could choose whenever they feel like studying, choose what their optimal time is. So maybe waking up at 8 in the morning is not an optimal time for learning, and doing it at 1 in the morning might be. I think having more choice, when they get to do their learning, allows them to engage in the material in a different way that would have been the case for the classroom. It’s nice to have freedom and choice.”
Other students have had trouble staying motivated throughout this period of at-home isolation. It’s extremely easy to let go of responsibilities when no one is holding you accountable. It may even be the case that the routine of seeing friends, interacting with teachers, and engaging in extracurricular activities fuels your drive to continue school work. Lin expressed, “In the beginning, it was a little difficult to keep a schedule for schoolwork, but over time I’ve been able to develop a loose routine that I keep. My motivation for school has lowered slightly, but I’m still keeping up with my classes and everything.”
One of the hardest parts about online learning for some other students has been learning to deal with the new school changes alongside their difficult home situations. According to a survey taken by a SMUHSD counselor, over 60% of students in the district reported having to help their families with daycare. Others have also had to work to support or replace their family income. Over 33% of students reported having responsibilities at home that make distance learning more challenging, including taking care of someone ill, cooking, dealing with family stress, sickness, social isolation, and more. As for completing schoolwork itself, over 1,000 Chromebooks and 500 wifi hotspots were given to students in need before online learning began; however, these hotspots are not always the most reliable. Ultimately, exaggerated inequalities like printing access, being able to upload pictures of assignments, and reliable Wi-Fi can influence a student’s ability to learn the curriculum similarly to their peers.
Despite all these difficulties, Mills administration and Superintendent Skelly have been extremely supportive throughout these unprecedented times, sending updates and words of encouragement to students who may be struggling to adjust. The Mills Mental Health Advancement Initiative has also been posting weekly updates and tips on maintaining student mental health over it’s Instagram page. The Mills Wellness counselors have also been offering scheduled sessions, which can be made here. If you are a student of the SMUHSD and are in need of a free breakfast or lunch, free meals are being provided from 11 am to 1 pm at Mills and San Mateo High School. If your family is in need of extra assistance with meals, visit the California Meals for Kids mobile app.
Over the last few weeks, Mills students, teachers, and families have been faced with adversity and obstacles with the ongoing changes in their lives. Online learning is a new method of teaching that has yet to be mastered, but as proven by the positive progress we have made so far, our community will continue to grow from this learning experience.
Graphic by Leanna Yu
