By Reha Matai and Srusti Acharya
Ever since the state-wide shutdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic, students at the Quarry Lane School have had to adjust to distance learning through Zoom conferences. This has been a learning experience for students, parents, and teachers. While many students in the Bay Area have had school canceled and converted to a pass/fail class system, the QLS has continued an active academic lifestyle for all students to learn and grow. The adjustment has been smooth for some, but it has also been difficult for others. For the most part, people have complained about too much screen time, less socialization, less mobility, and more work as well as stress. QLS sophomore Insha Kurji says, “It’s an adjustment but overall I feel like it is working well for me. One thing I would change would be making the hours shorter because it strains our eyes looking at a computer screen all day.” On the other hand, others love staying at home in their pajamas and catching up on sleep.
The coronavirus pandemic has impacted education all over the world. Although closing school limits interactions with others, it may cause other problems such as loneliness due to isolation. Through Zoom, Quarry Lane has maintained an interactive environment for students to discuss and share ideas. With virtual labs and projects, students have the opportunity to learn as well as have social interactions with their peers. Along with the successful attempts to carry out schooling online, teachers have been encouraging students to keep track of their lives during this once-in-a-lifetime experience. English teacher Ms. Shah asked her students to journal their thoughts and feelings about their days of quarantine daily for the first 20 days of online classes. History teacher Dr. Aranda also creatively started the Corona Virus Chronicle Project with his AP US History Class. This requires students to write 1 primary source a week evaluating causation, comparison, and continuity or changes. While being a project which will, of course, be evaluated for an academic grade, it also enforces critical thinking and encourages analysis of issues that are now prevalent in our world and which may remain that way.
The Roar 