The Catalyst / Photo courtesy of Madison Kammuller
Madison Kammuller, junior at Burlingame High School
Madison Kammuller, junior at Burlingame High School
Since many schools have closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, many high school students are going to school online in what is called distance learning. Some of them communicate with their teachers via email or websites, like gClassroom and Schoology. Others participate in online classrooms via video conferencing apps, like Google Hangouts and Zoom. The Catalyst interviewed Madison Kammuller, a junior at Burlingame High School, about her experiences going to school online.
The Catalyst (TC): What’s a typical day of school like for you?
Madison Kammuller (MK): I wake up around eight in the morning, and I end up starting my homework around nine. I go through my day as if I were actually in school.
TC: Does your school use Zoom?
MK: My school has over 1,000 students, and it would be difficult to manage all the classes all on video calls. My teachers have Zoom for an hour each day to answer questions, but they mainly put up videos online to teach our lessons.
TC: How are you coping with social distancing and keeping in touch with your friends?
MK: I definitely do not like shelter in place. A lot of my activities for my club sport have been canceled, but I have been able to spend more time with my family, and we do a lot of puzzles together. I use FaceTime to talk to my friends, play online games, or watch Netflix. It definitely sucks, but I am able to cope with it by having access to technology.
TC: Do you think it’s more beneficial to manage your time based on your school schedule or your own schedule?
MK: I think it’s more beneficial for me because I am able to work on my own time and have breaks.