English Teacher Darcey Talks Virtual Learning in the Face of COVID-19
It was second period on March 13, 2020 when Melissa Darcey, along with her coworkers and students, learned that Poway Unified School District would be closing schools indefinitely as a preventative measure for COVID-19. Since then, the district has run classes online, giving teachers little time to adjust, and will continue to run virtually for the foreseeable future
Darcey currently teaches Honors Humanities, World Literature, and Creative Writing at Del Norte High School. She, like many other teachers and students, has been adjusting to the new system. For the past month, Darcey has been making preparations for a completely new style of teaching and learning: “I’ve been doing everything to prepare from following teacher Instagrams to reading teaching books to creating countless new lessons to see what sticks.” In these changing times, so much is uncertain about what classes may look like in the future.
For teachers like Darcey, “the most difficult part will be creating student relationships.” Darcey values building relationships with her students, but is wary of how this will look like in a virtual setting. Students can not stop by a teacher’s classroom to say hello, and will have less opportunities to speak one-on-one during class. She also mentions that right now, teachers and students are in the same boat: the feeling of fear and nervousness is one that both teachers and students share.
Despite these uncertainties, Darcey has bright hopes for classes post-COVID. She describes herself as very type-A, favoring predictability and organization. Unfortunately, these things are “no longer possible.” “We don’t know what next month or five months in the future will look like, so I’m trying to focus on the here and now rather than set expectations for the future. My focus is on kicking butt with virtual learning and when our environment shifts, I’ll shift with it and redirect my focus.”
Darcey encourages students to do the same. Many Del Norte students are college-oriented and ambitious, focusing heavily on achieving good grades. Although being future focused is good, Darcey hopes “ students can try to enjoy more of the present.” Darcey also states her hopes for her fellow teachers: “I hope we learn that we don’t need to cram so much content in for the sake of ‘rigor.’ I hope we realize just how outdated and unnecessary certain forms of testing are, particularly multiple choice. I hope we see that students have an amazing ability to take the lead in their learning and that we can guide them on their path rather than direct them down ours.”
Though the school system is constantly evolving, Darcey wants readers to know that “your teachers want to support you and are here for you when you’re struggling. Talk to your teacher when you’re having trouble with something and know that they want to help you and see you thrive. Remember that your teachers are in the same boat as you. We’re also scared and worried. We don’t know how this trimester will go – all we can do is prepare as best we can and adjust when things go awry.” She encourages students “to try to see the value in what they’re learning,” rather than focusing solely on grades. No one quite knows what the upcoming months will look like, but through efforts of teachers like Darcey, Del Norte will continue to have a nurturing, productive learning environment.