On March 18th 2020, Boris Johnson announced that all schools, colleges and nurseries have to close from Friday. Across the UK many have had to adapt to the sudden changes they may face at any minute such as a possible lockdown. Amongst this, schools have had to come up with new policies, new rules and new ideas. Croydon High itself has introduced its entire senior school, including staff to the idea of Virtual Learning, a no handshake policy and have had to take certain measures to accommodate everyone’s wellbeing. However, this comes with many complications.
Virtual Learning allows students to continue their school day like normal, except at home and on an electronic device. Using apps such as Google Classrooms and Google Meet, grants students to be able to have conversations with their teachers in subjects like Modern Foreign Languages and even have debates during subjects like RS with their fellow peers. Nonetheless, as amazing as it sounds to having your entire school day online, people are liable to face many problems.
For example, when it comes to taking these certain measures, many students are in a vulnerable position. For example, students in Years 10 to 13 are at a crucial point in their lives. Ahead of them are exams that could possibly define their entire future, but things like the school being a position where it has to close, creates an interrupted environment. Kandia Kuna, a father of three children, says, ‘I have two children in Years 10 and 12. Although they are not currently in a difficult situation, I do worry about their studies next year- when they actually have their real exams.’ Nevertheless, Croydon High has overcome these barriers by making students have the full school day experience, but at the comfort of their own home. It is a regular assumption that students in today’s generation are much more experienced with technology and as a whole know what they are doing when it comes to computers.
However, when it comes to teacher’s, it isn’t the same case. Croydon High’s staff were put in a situation where some teachers had to learn how to use apps like Google Meet and Google Classroom, for the first time. Having hosted many meetings during the school days, such a difficult time like this truly brought Croydon High together as a community. Not only teachers but students were also seen helping each other, making sure that they all had the facilities they needed. There are bound to be many ‘hiccups’ on this wild journey that the entire school is on, but everyone has tried to support each other in many different ways. Not only this, but students have also been helping teachers when it comes to finding easier ways to access work, or even view work from home.
For example, every morning, we receive ‘form time’ presentations from our Head of Years. These consist of interesting facts, fun activities that could be done throughout the day and even videos to watch about philosophy. We are encouraged to stay in touch with our friends- this is truly a time where everyone is extremely grateful for apps like Facetime and Houseparty.
Many students are not open to the facilities of having even one electronic device at home. Not only this, now that schools have had to close, if there is more than one sibling at home, there may not be enough devices for everyone to share. So, in situations like this, how is Virtual Learning meant to work? In society today, we are told to spend less time on electronics and more time with each other, but today we stand in a situation where we are told to spend an entire school day- five hours of lessons- in front of an electronic device.
By: Varjitha
