While the semblance of normalcy that hybrid learning delivers is exciting, the system is complicated and not without flaws. Now a month into the new system, students have passed the initial shock and have a better idea of what is and isnít working.
In general, the dissemination of information needs improvement. Students currently rely on everything from email to Canvas to Google documents to what they hear in the hallway to understand their schedule; information needs to be centralized and standardized to avoid confusion.
Assembly links should be put on Veracross consistently and students should be notified that this is the permanent location of assembly information. Furthermore, the schedule on Veracross should denote whether it is tutorial, TASC, assembly, or advisory on any given day.
In order to uphold the guidelines laid out for hybrid learning, teachers must not make assignments due on days (at-home or in-person) when their class is not on the schedule. One of the greatest problems among students is the amount of time it takes to figure out what homework they have assigned, when itís due, and how to not miss assignments.
Please, no more homework hide-and-seek (i.e. using multiple locations to list homework). Sometimes it feels like teachers are playing a cruel joke by hiding assignments deep in the modules or on an obscure Google document.
All assignments should be put on the Canvas calendar for the day theyíre due. This means not just things that need to be submitted through Canvas but also other types of homework such as readings or handouts. In a complex hybrid plan, this is the easiest way for students to keep track of their work.
For teachers on a “playlist” plan, where all work is due on a certain day of the 6-day cycle, it is imperative that they tell students the actual date it is due. For example, say it is due on October 3, not the end of the fourth cycle because the 6-day cycle is much less apparent to students.
Most students prefer to be given a list of homework that needs to be completed by their next in-person class meeting rather than assignments due on asynchronous days. That way students can use the system they’re used to in a normal school year and have flexibility to manage their time as they see fit. So, no more 8 a.m. or 3 p.m. due dates. This makes it incredibly difficult for students to keep track of assignments. All assignments should be made due by the next class meeting or the end of the day (11:59 p.m.).
Finally, it is crucial that Friday TASC is brought back. While all students miss advisory time, TASC is necessary for clubs to meet and function properly. Getting rid of TASC will likely force clubs to start meeting during tutorial which is meant to be reserved for students to meet with teachers, a crucial aspect of school that was lost in the spring and should be protected in the hybrid plan. The only other time to meet during the school day is x-block which will become overrun with club meetings and students will have to sacrifice their involvement in activities they care about.
Everyone in the Blake community has done an incredible job creating a functional hybrid system. However, this does not mean it’s perfect or the work is over. The hybrid plan should continue to develop and improve as problems arise.
