Considering how chaotic this year has been, it was nice to roll out of bed at 8:40 on Monday, Jan. 4, instead of getting up at the crack of dawn to drive downtown. When school was ‘shut down’ and we switched to remote learning and teaching (RTLP), in early November, as a senior, I was saddened by the prospect of never being able to go back to the building again. Despite this, starting Jan. 19, Blake decided to offer hybrid teaching and learning (HTLP) again, and like many, I am thrilled. Yet along with this excitement comes a fair amount of fear. The pandemic has not gotten any better since all of us were last in the building, and I am even more worried due to the series of new and more contagious strains.
Like anything in life, there are pros and cons. While starting the semester online was a great way to ease back into school, many people are ready to be back in person. Except for Fridays and those doing completely RTLP, there will be no more days spent staring into the computer, trying our best to concentrate as our families work around us.
We will also get to experience the joys of being in the Upper School again, such as the spur of the moment conversations with teachers and classmates that can make our days. This was the part that I missed the most as I feel it has enriched my experience as a Blake student.
On the other hand, RTLP has one thing over HTLP that is difficult to top: peace of mind.
With the exception for the last few weeks before we switched to RTLP, it has been shown that schools are not COVID-19 hotbeds because of the protective safety measures. Despite this, it’s scary being back with a large number of people again. RTLP also provides a sense of unity between everyone. Instead of having a class of in-person students and a few remote learners who have to uncomfortably stare from the boundaries of Zoom, everyone gets the same opportunity to be fully engaged.
No matter what, both RTLP and HTLP have areas where they surpass and fall short. However, with Blake working hard to alter each method to best fit the student’s and teachers’ needs, many are excited to give HTLP another try and hopefully have it be the last switch before the end of the year.
