How I am finding home learning

As this horrible disease put the whole nation to a halt, it has also put a pause to the majority of face-to-face learning. I would say that I have experienced the whole spectrum of distanced education, from the best parts, to some of the worst.

I know how difficult homeschooling is for parents, adding to their already busy workload. I can say from the point of view as a student, during this strange time of learning remotely, it has not been easy. We’ve not had the social interaction with other students that we would normally have; we have had uncertainty for the past year about significant examinations; and it has been a totally new experience for all of us.

However, there is some good in this situation as well.

Firstly, what a change to our everyday routines. We have changed them, adapted them, almost done things completely differently, which is a credit to us all because we have been able to adapt to this new way of life in a short space of time!

When this third, arguably second, lockdown kicked in, I know from my experience, it does hit you at first, but then you get used to it and get back in the routines from last year. I think last year was slightly easier as the situation was completely brand new to almost everyone. As we have got used to this new way around things, I guess we have began to feel it is tedious, which to some extent it is, but things will get better.

It has been a new journey for us all, and I have been making the most of home learning, I think it’s not bad. Being at home sometimes gives you more time, I feel, which allows you to do other things; take your mind off work.

The best thing I have found, which can also be the worst thing at times, is that whilst learning from home you can work at your own pace.

That’s generally the good part because if you don’t understand something, it gives you the chance to spend more time on it. The bad part becomes when the work continues longer than the normal scheduled lesson.

Which do I prefer – learning in school or at home? Well, both have it’s pros and cons.

I prefer learning at school, because there is no substitute for learning with a teacher. Also, when you are at school, you come home, only having to complete homework and consolidate learning. Whilst learning from home, I feel workload increases – we complete the schoolwork, then homework. And if the schoolwork overruns, it means less time for yourself!

But I do understand, from the teacher’s perspective, it is not easy to predict how long a lesson will take, especially when you’re not in control.

My heart goes out to the students who couldn’t take their exams last year and Goodness knows in what form exams will take place this academic year. All the hard work the fifteen years (sixteen for some) has almost not contributed to the number(s) that the rest of your life is going to depend on.

If I have the chance to give some feedback to our good old Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson, the first thing I would say is it would be nice to know, in some way, shape or form, how our exams are going to work. This period is stressful as it is, and he has not made our lives any easier by constantly changing what is going to happen with exams!

The worst part of ‘Coveducation’ (learning during this time) is that from now on, every test and assessment could count towards our end grade. This means that one mistake or a ‘surprise test’ could result in a lower grade, which the student does not deserve.

The way I would like schooling to take place during these abnormal times, would be a rota. Students should be put on a rota as to when they can be taught in the classroom, through face-to-face learning, and then the rest of the time education should be done remotely.

This way, the number of students in school is limited, which keeps them safe, but it also keeps the staff in school safe too. And this is what we want – to keep everyone in schools safe so that they can operate as close to normal as possible so that we can rise as a country and get back to normal quicker. Also, if (God forbid) another lockdown situation were to return, schools could continue in this way because there are limited students going in school.

The main thing is to not lose hope – we will get past this. If we try and see the good in what we have got, we will come through this much quicker and happier.

After all the hard work from last term, I am so glad half term has arrived. I am have been relaxing, whilst still using my time productively, hope you also have a great rest of the week!