Staring at a screen and sitting in the same spot for six hours a day, five days a week is a less than ideal situation. Once schools reopen with in-person learning, it is safe to assume that both teachers and students alike will not want to go through the obstacles of virtual learning. Yet, Montgomery County Public Schools announced the possibility of using online learning resources during snow days once school reopens.
This proposal should not even be considered.
With virtual learning has come both advantages and disadvantages in the average school experience. Some tools, such as Zoom and online messaging platforms like Slack, have provided alternative ways of staying connected and continuing education without having to leave the safety of home. However, in the post-pandemic era, these resources should be used sparingly and never again replace the benefits of face to face schooling.
The main argument for replacing snow days with virtual classes is to save valuable class time and continue learning. Although online school is a convenient replacement for now, most students are not able to fully comprehend what they learn in class like they do in person. Therefore, it would be pointless and a waste of time for a student to have to sit through a virtual lesson and be reminded of their struggles during the COVID-19 pandemic.
They would simply not be able to understand the material as well as they should, which only pulls them backward rather than pushing them forwards.
It is also a possibility that cyber snow days would not consist of the structured block periods we have during quarantine but rather teachers just assigning student work to be completed. Most of this work would most likely comprise of busywork to meet the requirement of providing assignments during the snow day. These tasks would not benefit the student nor the teacher in any way since both could be doing other work that benefits their progress towards their goals.
Certain aspects of the online school system can be implemented into in-person learning post-pandemic, but they should not replace whole days of school. A better approach would be for MCPS to reinvent ways of using these online assets to continue to help students. For example, MCPS can encourage the use of Zoom not as the main avenue of class lessons but rather as a way for students to contact teachers virtually and talk to them after school.
Many students also look forward to snow days for the obvious reason of being able to go outside and enjoy the snowy weather. High school students are especially stressed and having the opportunity to spend time with family and relax is invaluable. They do not want and should not have to worry about attending class after class on a snow day.
Even if school is closed on days when not a lot of snow has accumulated, students are given the chance to catch up on work. There is always the miraculous coincidence of there being a snow day when a big project is due or a test was assigned. Having a whole day free reduces stress, improves mental health and gives students a moral and productive boost for the rest of the week.
Snow days are an essential and non-negotiable part of the student experience. There is an awe and excitement from waking up and seeing snow fill the streets. If there were cyber snow days, students would no longer feel the elation from getting to stay home and play in the snow. Online school would only make a cold day feel even colder.
Article by Athira Nair of Richard Montgomery High School
Graphic by Khanh Nguyen of Richard Montgomery High School