Staying motivated during remote learning is a work in progress

Remote learning has become the first resort for many schools to continue teaching over the past few months due to COVID-19, and the struggles have just started to become real.

Hawks are scrambling to find the motivation to sit in front of a screen for hours a day, maintain good grades, and deal with extracurriculars all while trying to keep themselves healthy, well-rested, and happy.

“Finding motivation as I travel in my own bedroom, garnering free time, finding time for myself, navigating the unnecessary and tricky waters of “home”work, as well as accessing enough brainpower to to pay attention in a virtual class with your video off—is very much difficult for me as well as everyone I know,” said Chittesh Saravanan, sophomore.

Overworking seems to be another problem when it comes to E-Learning.

“I tend to push too far last year and I don’t want that to happen again,” said Coby Pozo, senior.

Remote learning is a shift for everyone, including teachers.

“I don’t find myself struggling too much with remote learning. I feel that the schedule we have (7:30 to 12:15) has helped a lot,” Henning said. “There is a lot more grading and multi-tasking, but there are fewer interruptions throughout the day.”

However, she admits that the greatest struggle of teaching through a screen “is trying to get students to do all the work and trying to make lessons fun.” She also wishes she could see her students learning and understanding the material.

So what are some things Hawks can do to minimize stress during these times?

Saravanan suggests finding a comfortable but secure spot to attend Zoom calls. This way, students can keep their mind sharp and pay attention in class. “It’s less about finding motivation and more about finding the right area and mindset,” he said.

Pozo suggests taking a step back and not pushing too hard when it comes to schoolwork.

As for teachers, Henning suggests discussing different ways to engage with students with other teachers. “We continuously share tips to get past the struggles and concerns,” she said. “There are tons of learning management tools, sites, games, and more that can help all teachers. Most importantly, I think taking the time to talk, chat, or hear a students’ voice daily will help.”

No matter the method or motive, it should always be healthy and safe.

To all the Hawks reading this: you got this!