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In the age of COVID-19 education has changed for students throughout the Bellwood-Antis community. Some students have chosen to go 100% virtual, which may be a challenge. But the entire year has become a challenge for students and teachers. This has become our “new normal”. 

Students and teachers B-A are working hard to adjust to virtual learning in the COVID era. 

Mr. Kerry Naylor is an English teacher at B-A, said using Microsoft teams makes it easy to involve online students  considering the amount of training teachers invested in the app.

As for the experience online students getting, the hope is that they are getting the same of experience as they would in a classroom. 

“Overall, virtual is a challenge for most students and we will have to wait and see what the overall outcome of the entire situation will be,” Mr. Naylor said. “We’re doing our best to give them the same experience as those kids in the classroom, but it is a challenge to do that and meet the needs of twenty-some kids who are in the room with you.”

 The experience of virtual learning can vary from student to student. Olivia Baney is a freshman taking classes at B-A through Microsoft Teams who stated that education is very different online than in a physical classroom. Everyday virtual students have to log into Microsoft Teams from around 8 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. each day.

Olivia said that she believed it is more of a challenge to complete all of her work than for in-person learners, especially because it tends to be scattered. In order to do her work on time she writes down her assignments so that way she’s able to get everything in on time.

While Olivia doesn’t have to be up as early for school as in years past, that also means that she doesn’t have a strict schedule. 

Though Olivia has a handle on her online studies, she said it was not the better option for her. She would rather just go to school because it’s easier to pay attention and comprehend different things. Also, there wouldn’t be any miscommunication because the teachers would be right in front of you. 

Charles Wachnicki, a senior, has had a different experience with online learning. He has adjusted easily to online learning mostly, he says, because he has grown up with video games. 

However, online learning from home has altered the way senior swill experience their final year at B-A. COVID has made it significantly harder to go out and have fun and hang out with friends.

“Although it won’t be the funniest year it will definitely be the most memorable,” he said.

Charles claimed that he prefers virtual because he has grown up with technology so for him it tends to be easier. Also, he said that he’s learning the same material and taking the same test as everyone else, so he’s not missing out. The difference is he’s in the comfort of his own home so it’s a lot easier to learn. 

Overall, with the changes that have been made in regards to B-A students’ education, having opinions from both sides of the spectrum is very important in knowing how effective it is for  people when it comes to education.