In the midst of global school closures, students, teachers and parents are transitioning to online learning. For students, this can mean video meetings with teachers or completing work that has been posted for them online.

 Math teacher Kelly Maisel thinks that there are both pros and cons to the switch, one pro being students’ familiarity with commonly used platforms like Schoology.

“The students were used to the website already,” Maisel said. “(They) didn’t need to make many changes in that aspect.”

Sophomore Lucy Turrini said she understands why students could be having difficulty. Despite being familiar with the program, she says that Schoology can be confusing at times, making it hard to keep track of all of her work. 

“I don’t always get notifications from Schoology when I have new assignments,” Turrini said. “So it’s sometimes hard to know when I have things that I need to complete.” 

In addition, Maisel says that a lack of face-to-face connections with her students is currently the biggest struggle because she finds it harder to pinpoint what students are struggling with. However, Maisel recognizes and appreciates how students have been reaching out to each other for help when they don’t fully understand certain material. 

Although Turrini doesn’t necessarily believe online school is better than normal school, she believes it is going well despite the given circumstances.

“It’s been a good experience so far,” Turrini said. “I have still been doing well and getting good grades.”

Maisel and Turrini both agree that this period of online schooling is a good chance for students to develop a schedule that will keep them on track. With multiple assignments due rather than one, they believe this forces students to set a daily schedule that allows them to work at their own pace. 

“Students are able to see the work that needs to be turned in at their deadlines,” Maisel said. “But (they) could work at a time that works best for them.”