COVID-19 Changes Schooling

Dhriti 7Y

Due to the Coronavirus, schools all over the country have closed while the UK is in lockdown. It is possible that schools won’t be fully opening again for quite some time. There are some exceptions though; the children of key workers and vulnerable children will still be able to attend and students that have free meals may go to collect their lunches. 

What about everyone else? Some schools, especially secondary schools and colleges, were already using digital technology to teach students and will be able to continue with this while they are at home doing the set tasks. But this relies on all students having access to devices. 

The closure of Alperton Community School happened at the end of the day on Friday 20th March 2020. Schools were being closed to help stop the spread of COVID-19 since the virus is causing many in the UK illness and even death. 

Since students at Alperton Community School can't physically go to school, they are required to use a device to access Google Classroom and their Gmail. Students have been using the Google Suite for a while so most students are familiar with it. Google Classroom is a platform in which you can connect with your class and teachers, view and submit your assignments. The teachers can also see every edit you do on a piece of work, give you feedback and answer questions if you need help. They can also find out if you have copied and pasted any information!

Although it seems really good that we are prepared and that not too much education will be delayed, there are actually a few negatives. Firstly, spending hours on end on devices and too much screen time can be bad for you. In addition, some students describe staying at home as being “trapped” and “feeling lonely.” During this period of time we can’t really talk to people in person and later on people may have problems socialising and may be too anxious to go out in public and interact with other human beings which is worrying since at Alperton Community School, we are a community. 

Furthermore, it is hard to recreate a learning atmosphere at home similar to school so it can be tempting to snack on food lots or go on social media. Not managing the workload can cause sleep deprivation which can lead to health problems and a bad mood. Also, since the teacher isn’t teaching you in person, you have to be really resilient and self-teach some of the content and sometimes the information can be hard to understand. Although teachers can support us using Google Classroom, it’s just not the same.

Some students still can’t get over the fact that only one week has passed and that they have much more time to go and others think that there is too much pressure being put on them. Another student said, “Learning at school is more active and fun. Online work is kind of restrictive, especially how our teachers can see everything we type!” Another student even said being quarantined can make you lose your mind! I am personally finding it hard to concentrate on my learning and can get distracted very easily. 

One of our teachers advised, “It's really important to also make the time to do the little things that make you smile.” It’s about finding a good balance between school work and free time and adjusting to this new way of learning. Following your school timetable the best you can will help to manage the workload better. 

We must all take care of our mental health and make sure we do not get too carried away with work if it is interfering with our wellbeing. Remember to keep connected with friends and family and to also do things that make you happy and stay healthy.

With this virus, it is important that we know the right facts and not spread any rumours. For reliable information on the coronavirus, visit Coronavirus (COVID-19) - NHS. Remember not to leave your house unless you have to and use the social distancing advice.