Starting the school year off, Park transitioned from years of online Hebrew classes to having an in-person teacher. Park hired Rabbi John Carrier to take over and ease students into the new learning style.
Park only has certain elective classes online, making the decision to hire an in-person. Hebrew teacher for another way Park has started to move away from COVID-19 guidelines. Carrier said his students seem more engaged with lessons, which helps to create a safe learning environment.
“People feel more present. Their attention is in the room. I’m more present — less distracted when I’m in the room,” Carrier said. “The class seems to gel more as a community, which is really important for learning.”
So far, students are welcoming the change from online learning to in-person. According to sophomore Dahlia Cohen, switching to in-person learning has been helpful.
“I can already tell a huge improvement. Going from online to in-person is so much better,” Cohen said. “Everyone who did school online during COVID can understand that it just makes it a lot easier to learn if the teacher is in front of you.”
Freshman Eliora Estrin said they appreciate being in the classroom and learning in the school.
“When it was online I couldn’t comprehend their lesson because it was the screen, but when it’s in-person, you can learn from the teacher and get to see them face to face,” Estrin said.
According to Carrier, there is a mixed bag of student reactions. Carrier said some students drown when content is online and embrace the change with open arms, and others excel with online learning.
“There are some students who actually do a lot better online,” Carrier said, “and there are some students who just really suffer when their only learning is online.”
Cohen said adjusting to a new learning environment was challenging but welcomed.
“It was a little hard at first, getting back in the swing of things, just like any other class,” Cohen said. “Overall, it’s a lot easier.”
According to Carrier, online learning makes it easier for students who can’t be in classrooms for various reasons.
“Online learning has really opened up accessibility for people who otherwise couldn’t engage at all, and that’s a good thing,” Carrier said. “I don’t miss it, though.”
