The shift to online classes has become a major change for parents, teachers, and students. Students from elementary and high schools are now trying to get used to a new norm with help from their parents.
Dr. Maggie Park, San Joaquin County Public Health Officer issued on Aug 4th, the most recent public health order related to schools and distance learning through the county website. Park said multiple counties like San Joaquin, which are currently on the state monitoring list, are mandated to keep all schools closed for the time-being.
Kristina Ortiz, a former student at Sacramento State said she was not having it with online classes anymore.
“This semester I started school and it already seems stressful with higher expectations from the students. The schools are making us do a lot more. Sometimes in the online classes I would doze off in the class because I would get tired of looking at a screen all day,” Ortiz said.
Sacramento-based KCRA3 reported on Aug. 27 that Natomas Unified School District, Delta College, and Capital Christian students in Sacramento were being allowed to return to classes with further COVID-19 restrictions and protocols. Delta College moved nearly all courses online in spring, but some essential infrastructure courses are happening on campus following health guidelines.
Aside from those students returning to school, online students have a harder focus mentality especially younger children whose parents are not available for help.
Edgar Lopez is an eighth grade student from French Camp Elementary school doing his online classes with no homework after online classes are over.
“Homework is confusing but quick, we have to turn it in 30 minutes after the teachers give us the directions and I always turn it in late because I don’t get it and I run out of time,” he said. During his zoom classes, Edgar does his assignments but after Zoom is over, he is not given any more homework for practice.
It has been a huge jump start for teachers too, as educators for all ages now teach virtually.
There are schools like Golden West Elementary that take other classes service to give students class. They use a program to teach instead of teaching from the actual school. There is a program called MUSD online academy where teachers are recruited to give classes.
Teachers who are not in any online schooling program teach their students from home or from their classrooms. French camp elementary schools are giving virtual classes while teachers remain in their classrooms.
I have a cousin who is in kindergarten and she does virtual learning through her actual school and they give out homework packets. When she needs to pick up her paper assignments, her mom needs to go to the school, the day the teachers say, and must pick up her work.
Being a parent for an online student is also stressing and hard to handle. “There are assignments that I have no idea how to do and there is no way I can help because I’m not familiar with technology” said Cassandra Cervantez, a mother of two whose kids attend East Union. She was gathering up information from the high school.