As we near the one-month milestone of remote learning, the School continues to provide students with a multitude of support systems to ensure academic success. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the education system. The prolonged health risk has caused schools globally to close their doors for the foreseeable future, including here.

Medical professionals across the globe deserve our appreciation and gratitude, but so do our teachers. We are not the only ones who have struggled to adapt to remote learning—it’s been a learning curve for them as well. 

Teachers have had to adjust their lesson plans to function in an online environment, and with different resources at their disposal, they have had to make do with what can be safely done.

For example, rather than doing traditional lab experiments, science classes have done online labs and makeshift labs at home in lieu of classroom projects. While not ideal, teachers have found creative ways for their students to observe concepts in action without projects in a classroom setting.

Additionally, the Major Author Study was extended and Senior Thesis Defenses were moved online. Not only does this change the nature of the presentation for students, but it also provides an additional complication for teachers.

Amidst all of this uncertainty, teachers have continued to do what they do best—teach. While AP exams will be structured differently this year, teachers are still doing their best to cover the necessary content before testing dates.

The cancellations of both SAT and ACT testing have caused current 11th-graders to reevaluate their college process, and the School’s college counselors have helped walk students through what the cancellation means for them while providing a plethora of virtual college opportunities.

These are just a few of the many steps teachers have taken to support their students—not to mention the various health and wellness resources that have been made available virtually. 

Our teachers are going above and beyond to help us succeed in an unprecedented time, and they deserve our thanks and gratitude. As students, we have had to adjust the way we learn to fit the situation at hand, but we cannot forget that our teachers have had to make alterations as well.

Next time your teacher makes the effort to make online learning more engaging and successful, take a moment to thank them. They deserve it.