Divergence from Pre-Covid Education

Tessa Norenius & Ashley Zhichun Shi

Features

Since the beginning of the pandemic, life at Earl Haig shifted regarding mental health, education, and social activity. One of the challenges the pandemic posed is the evolution of non-semestered school to online quadmesters, and now modified semesters. Everyone faces different struggles in each modification and now students must, once again, adjust to new rules and new ways of learning as we switch from online learning back to in-person.

Based on Haigers' responses, most dislike these modified classes. With two-and-a-half-hour classes comes two and a half hours of information. Concepts don’t get time to marinate, and the week-long gaps between classes don’t help. Students feel pressure to complete and learn everything at once, and it’s easy to fall behind.

There is, however, more time to work and more opportunities for engagement compared to quadmesters. For some, it is easier to focus on one subject for many hours at a time than worry about their next class. Depending on individual preferences, more classes in a shorter time frame can be more stimulating to the brain. These differences can change a student’s learning experience drastically.

Another significant change is how clubs and councils are organized. Before the pandemic, most clubs’ application forms would be easily accessible on the first floor. This year, most clubs’ information has moved online, leaving some students confused about how to find and apply to these clubs. Face-to-face meetings helped students open up, while others found online more convenient.

From class settings to club arrangements, the pandemic has reshaped much of Earl Haig. The majority of the students still hope for a return to pre-COVID-19 school life. With the regular semesters next term, it is uncertain whether there will be an improvement in academic performance and satisfaction. Perhaps when classes, clubs, and sports teams are back in person, students can experience high school normally again.