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Students think of school as the home where their second family lives, friends and teachers. Now, Vice President Sara Duterte has given her orders to have the full transition to on-site classes by November, and Colegio San Agustin has started its school year — offering two modes of learning for the students: The Hybrid and The Virtual Academies. However, the Vice President’s order specifically stated that all schools, private or public, should be conducting all their classes on-site. Thus, a transition is being done from the two setups to a total on-site setup. Despite that, the school is petitioning the Department of Education to let the Virtual Academy stay for the rest of the school year, as it is undeniable that arguments for both the on-site and virtual schools have genuine merit. Taking to the scene, some students were willing to share their experiences concerning the transition to the on-site class.
UNIFORMS
Of course, when talking about on-site classes in the Philippines, there is always a discussion about student uniforms, new schedules, and academic life. When asked about their opinions on the uniforms, the Augustinian students reported that they had to wear their uniforms in both setups, so there was little need for change. They added that all they needed to adjust to was the wearing of the skirt or pants, as they had been wearing more comfortable bottoms during the virtual setup. One student mentioned that she was part of the pilot testing of the hybrid setup, so she already had an idea of what was to come.
SCHEDULE
There are mixed receptions on waking up early and their new schedules. The students found it hassling to wake up early to get ready to go to school, yet they still felt that the on-site scheduling was somewhat better because the asynchronous sessions of the virtual academy were ineffective when it came to receiving feedback. One student remarked that it removed the anxiety of messaging the teacher regarding questions since you could raise them without the risk of the teacher not noticing the question or being seen-zoned by the teacher.
ACADEMICS
Fortunately, the Augustinians agreed that the pacing of the teachers on-site was superior to that of virtual. They stated that they felt that the teachers had to compress lessons into the timeframe they had, and this negatively affected their ability to understand the lessons properly. Even though there was the anxiety of being called by the teacher while not knowing the answer and being in front of the teacher, they still preferred the on-site setup because of the lack of worry about the problems of internet connectivity, the teachers’ pacing, and the connection of being near the teacher rather than looking at a screen.
When it comes to their individual experiences, they gave their unique perspective of comparing virtual learning with their current hybrid setup. One STEM student described that the feeling of using an actual laboratory gave them an easier time understanding the lessons being taught and produced a more fun experience when compared to doing simulations online. The ABM student was happy about the ease the on-site setup provided for their group projects like business proposals since she had a difficult time communicating with teachers and classmates in the virtual classroom setup. While the HUMSS student related to the plights of her peers, they shared her experiences in a course where they had to create a class production— scripts, acting, and the works.
They described her class as “more lively and excited than when [they] were all in Zoom] since everyone was participating instead of a select few."
Overall, the Augustinians agreed that the transition to the on-site setup did wonders for their academic and social lives. They were happy with seeing their friends personally rather than just on their screens. During the virtual setup, the students noted that making new friends was harder because of the preference of many students to not turn on their cameras and stay muted. They added that it was often awkward and silent during group projects because of the prevalence of having cameras off and staying muted; the enjoyment of classes varied from teacher to teacher, as some were focused on academics while some made the classes fun by including interaction through doing ‘kamustahan’ activities and making jokes. Even though there were some fun experiences in virtual classes, they all felt that the closeness that comes from being in the same room together helps in the fostering of rapport between classmates.
However, the on-site setup does not come without difficulties outside of the need to wake up early or the required uniforms. It was evident that the students still felt let down by the slow and unstable internet connectivity. As the students became adapted to the letter grading system during the pandemic, a layer of anxiety was added by the return of both the examinations and the numerical grading system. They mentioned that their credentials for their learning management system came rather late, so the students had to adjust. They noted that these were most of the discussions of students before the school year started and the first few weeks of the school year, and they were disappointed that this happened both in virtual and hybrid setups.
Regardless of all those negative experiences and the apprehension of going to school due to the still ongoing pandemic, the students felt grateful that they are able to go to school and see their teachers and classmates. They all remarked that they were aware of the drawbacks that the on-site setup had, yet they had no regrets whatsoever about their choice to attend the hybrid setup — one of them even stated that “it felt surreal being in CSA again” because they lost hope of seeing the campus again due to the pandemic. As the Marcos-Duterte tandem called for unity, it is imperative that inclusivity be part of their platform. Leniency on their platform to return schools to the face-to-face setup would do the public good. Risking the health of the students by rushing is not going to pacify their fears but fuel them, so it would be for the best to allow them the freedom of choice. After all, they look to these hybrid classes as their standard of judgment, so the inclusivity that the school fights for could pay off in the end.
WRITERS' PROFILE
JOHN PAUL D. BOCABIL
Features Staffer
Grade 12 HUMSS
SAVANNAH A. SAÑO
Graphic Arts Staffer
Grade 11 HUMSS
Other Organizations: Grade 11 Council and Teatro Punlahi
LARA NORYSA BEATRIZ N. OMABTANG
Copyreading Editor
Grade 12 STEM
Other Organizations: Grade 12 Council, Adeodatus, Honors Society
MARIA MARTINA P. CRISOLOGO
Layout Staffer
Grade 12 STEM
Other Organizations: Supreme Student Council, Adeodatus, and STEM Questors
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