We are still here.

Before COVID-19 and the derecho, teachers were not prepared to teach online. Trained for in-person classes where they could interact with and monitor students directly, Kennedy High School teachers had to adapt their teaching methods for the new environment. 

Slow internet connections, broken microphones and barking dogs are only a few of the problems with doing school from home. Teachers should not be required to solve the problems of online and in-person students on their own.

Teachers are excited about having students in their classrooms. For most, this is the first time they have taught in-person for almost a year. However, they struggle with technology issues that have not existed for them before Jan. 11, at least not at Kennedy.

As some students are back roaming the halls of Kennedy, others stuck online face new struggles. Teachers, distracted by real faces, ignore those without that luxury. Meanwhile, students at home wait for their teachers to start the meeting or figure out how to utilize the available technology.

Another complication occurs when teachers are writing their lessons on their smartboards. When this happens, some students are unable to hear what the teacher is saying because they are facing away from the computer. This makes it difficult to learn and focus.

There has to be a better way.