An old proverb suggested that “you never miss the water until the well runs dry”. It is true in many cases. We are all missing and craving for something that we took for granted once in our lives. In the midst of a pandemic, social interactions are perhaps the most craved. Many of us never understood the importance of those interactions until now. Many of us never understood the impact and effects a face-to-face conversation can have. The very same can be said for schools and classroom settings. I miss it. I miss being able to pack my bags, get ready for classes, head out my door and enter an environment of people who crave success and education. I gained energy and motivation from my committed peers. I gained inspiration from my lecturers/ teachers. I gained the need to progress every time I walked into the gate and glanced the “University of Guyana” sign.

My environment at the university helped me to excel. I know the same can be said for many others. My environment inspired me but can the same be said about online learning? Am I the only one that feels demotivated at times instead of the opposite? No, I am not asking for us to return to physical classroom settings but how can we feel the same way as we did before COVID-19 changed our lives? I can speak on behalf of myself as a student but what about teachers? Do they feel the same way? Well, Ashminie Persaud is a teacher at Line Path Secondary. She expressed her concerns about online teaching and how it affects her as a teacher, as well as, her students. She said: “In some classes, at least half of the students do not have internet connections to begin with. Even the ones who are taught online do not grasp the concepts that well because they are already used to teaching in physical classroom settings”. She continued by saying: “Google classroom and zoom are hard for a lot of students to understand keep up with. A lot of them don’t even have phones and computers. There are classes that have all the students with internet connections and that can be a good thing but there are also other classes in the same batch that does not and that leaves the other without internet at a disadvantage compared to their colleagues”.
It was difficult enough to write the Common Entrance, Grade Nine (9) and CSEC Examinations after being taught in physical classroom settings, much less a child who is forced to do so with online teaching. Let’s put aside the need for social interactions; there are still many other issues involved. As Ashminie pointed out, the limited amount of students who are without internet connectivity is a major issue. Some might have internet connections, but is it fast and secure? Are teachers fully equipped with the materials and knowledge they need to utilise online settings? Have we also taken into consideration the mental strain it will have on teachers? We are a developing third world country and our knowledge and resources with online mediums are very limited. Realistically speaking, policymakers and teachers are learning just as the children/students in this process. I have chosen to write on this because I am currently a student myself and I know how frustrating it can be. I hope that we do not view online classes as a “quick fix” to teaching our students. Whatever policies and rules are to be in place, I am hopeful that the challenges of both teachers and students are considered and that at the end of it all, we also consider the human experience and how important it can be for us to excel in healthy environments, including online ones. We merely ought to substitute those experiences and feelings with these online mediums due to social distancing—not replace them.