By JAYCEE DALE
As many know, all schools in the Hays area have been switched to online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some teachers initially struggled to come up with a game plan to create a good learning environment from home that would allow students to be educated in a productive way.
Students have had to adjust to a more laidback schedule, and some might even be struggling to keep up with the schoolwork due to having a less strict schedule to keep students on top of their work.
“It is quite the adjustment,” said Michele Brungardt, a seventh-grade social studies teacher at Hays Middle School. “The biggest challenge is not being in touch with students one-on-one. Students that have questions must wait for a response.”
Brungardt has been using Canvas as a way to keep students organized by having an in-depth agenda. She also helps students by sending a weekly video to help them understand the agenda for the week.
Although Brungardt believes this transition was necessary to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, she still misses seeing her students and having face-to-face interaction with them on a daily basis.
For some students, the transition hasn’t been too difficult.
“For the most part, online learning is easy,” said HMS eighth-grader Brynn Kinderknecht. “And it is working well for me.”
She has heard of students who have internet issues and have had some trouble with online learning. She also likes the excess amount of time she has with her family, but she also really misses the school and being able to see her friends every day.
Wyatt Kirkpatrick, a seventh-grader at HMS, said his online learning has gone well, and he thinks — for the most part — it is working.
“The one thing that could make it better is less videos to watch every week,” he said.
He also said the one thing he misses most about going to school is being able to see his friends.
Senior Tasiah Nunnery of Hays High School has been adjusting to online schooling.
“Online school isn’t horrible, but it’s not my favorite,” she said.
Nunnery said she would like it better if all the assignments for the rest of the school year were posted at the same time because she would like to be able to get them all done in a fast amount of time.
Even though Nunnery is liking the not-having-to-go-to-school aspect of things, she is missing the sports part and wishes she could have had one last track season.
Some high school teachers at HHS said they haven’t had any trouble transitioning to an online format.
“The transition wasn’t hard since we do quite a bit on canvas anyway,” said Matt Brooks, who teaches in the history department and instructs sophomores through seniors at Hays High.
Brooks has been making weekly videos that he said are hilarious and fun to keep the students up to date for what will be happening for the week.
“The toughest thing is figuring out how to convey all the little things that go into the topic we cover,” he said.
Brooks believes this is a good experience for the students because he thinks they will come back to school and appreciate it more. He misses the student interaction the most, and he misses being able to talk and catch up with his students on a daily basis.
Despite the quick transition to online learning, students and teachers believe the change has gone well. Most are now missing the school aspect of things, but all involved think it might help people not take schooling for granted. The necessary transition, they believe, could be a good experience that will help students and teachers in the future.