As we all know, the breakout of the rapid pandemic Covid-19 provoked a great number of effects in many degrees. One of those ways I would like to look into is the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic on education.

Children across the U.S. had to be isolated to the degree that kept them away from contact with school. Many students had online classes, “Zoom” calls, and other at-home learning programs. In turn, the children were stuck at home where they had been away from other peers and friends that they would usually encounter. In addition to being away from other peers. Another portion of schools could continue in-person school, yet with limiting regulations set. Like most of the world, they were required to wear a mask in every class, some even during lunch. Some schools had even limited the number of school days, changing from the average 5 days a week, including Saturday and Sunday off.

I interviewed some teachers who had experienced the pandemic and taught during that time. I asked biology and anatomy teacher Mrs. Meeks a few questions. I asked her, “How did you feel about online schooling during the pandemic?” she responded with an amazing response I loved, “For the majority of students, online learning was extremely ineffective. There are many gaps in content, work ethic, and attendance now. Many students think school is optional and it hurts student brain development when the brain is not forced to use its neurons. For students in low socio-economic environments with very little parental support, it causes the poverty cycle to continue. Students do not see the opportunities they could potentially have when they are at home. The pandemic created a whole cultural shift in mindset NOT FOR THE BETTER. We will be trying to change this for years to come.”. She also believed that in-person schooling was “leaps and bounds better than online learning.” Mrs. Meeks told me she felt she needed to see the students' faces “are my students understanding, am I creating a relationship with them, etc.”. My final question for Mrs. Meeks said that if students had benefited from the Covid-19 pandemic, she said, “It is my belief that the Covid-19 pandemic has destroyed many students. There are no benefits. “.

Other teachers felt a similar way to the art teacher; Mrs. Berry, when asked how she felt about in-person compared to online classes she responded “When I was a college student, I preferred my in-person classes over my online classes. I retained the information better and I liked the socialization. As a teacher, I also prefer in-person learning. It is easier to connect with the students and provide them with the help they need. Some classes (like art) cannot easily be completed online. “ Even when she was a student herself in college she didn’t like online classes and favored in-person classes, because she believed it helped her retain information better, and she enjoyed socializing. On the other hand, when I asked English teacher Mrs. Delk the same question, she had mixed feelings stating “In person!! I've taken college classes online as a student myself and they have a time and place. Convenience can't replace real human interaction, though!”. When Mrs. Delk was a student herself; she liked in-person classes, and felt they had a time and place.

More importantly, I questioned fellow students about how they had felt about their 8th-grade experience. Nate Woodruff is now a 10th grader, who had gone to school in person during the climax of the Coronavirus. I asked Nate how he felt about in-person schooling, and he told me he enjoyed it, saying, “Gave me more time to do whatever I wanted, I found new hobbies.” Nate said that he liked his 2 days a week schedule, even though he felt he didn't learn anything. He had told me he wasn’t taught well and then got homework thrown at him. Nate had also told me he felt satisfied with his ending grades in the 8th grade but still could have done better.

I also questioned another student, Ben Slone, with the same questions. Ben did online work from home. Unlike Nate, Ben did not enjoy his 8th-grade year. Ben told me that the education wasn’t very specific, and not challenging enough. Ben had said that since there were no teachers, he felt that he hadn’t learned anything from the 8th grade. Ben believed anything taught in the 8th grade he didn't learn.

Studies around the world have shown that there has been an impact on students' grades from Covid-19. Studies from ACSA Partner4Purpose NWEA showed that “The COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted educational systems across the U.S., prompting concerns about a “lost year” of schooling for many children. Initial evidence from NWEA assessments indicates that students’ math test scores decreased substantively relative to students testing in the prior school year.” When I asked teachers around my school if they felt that during Covid-19 teaching was a “lost year”, the majority agreed.  

Another study made by Peggy Carr, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, a branch of the Education Department, stated in her interview. “In NAEP, when we experience a 1- or 2-point decline, we’re talking about it as a significant impact on a student’s achievement. In math, we experienced an 8-point decline — historic for this assessment.” That is a massive drop compared to years before.

Overall not only students, but teachers for the most part agreed that Covid-19 harmed students. Some people found opportunities during the pandemic, like Nate Woodruff who made new hobbies and friends. But many had losses and much negative feedback from the pandemic. I believe kids of now will look back on Covid-19 and preach to newer generations to come, and share their experiences of their Covid-19 adventures.