Q: What were some of your original feelings toward doing e-learning?

A: “I was eager for e-learning, I thought it was going to be just the same or at least similar to the in class experience.”

Q: How did those change after the first couple of days of school?

A: “After the first two days of school, I found it difficult to be a participant in class.  Ever since elementary school I’ve always asked questions and answered them, so to just sit and hide behind a webcam and to not participate really bothers me.  The teachers say you can just chime in whenever but then it just feels as if I were interrupting.”

Q: Did you feel like you were being included as an e-learner? 

A: “I get that teachers have to focus on the kids in front of them, but learning like that is a little harder. Some teachers really try to include the e-learners, but [the] majority of the time it can be difficult to balance for teachers.”

Q:Why did you finally decide to come back in person?

A: ”I decided to come back to school because I really missed that in-person, student to teacher experience.  In my opinion, there’s no better way to learn a subject better than being in a physical classroom and not a virtual one.”

Q: How are you adapting to the new changes at the school? What are your thoughts on them (masks, social distancing, lunches, not hanging out in the hallway etc.)? 

A: ’I’ve adapted to the new rules pretty well. I don’t mind eating in the classroom, social distancing or not hanging in the hallways. It’s all new, but it’s understandable. I don’t really mind the masks as long as it’s nice and cool throughout the building.”