Struggle is real
Feature
By now, we must have been totally aware that the COVID-19 pandemic has claimed most of the things we used to have and do, giving us little to no options but adapting and continue. Education is one of the most affected sectors, and it took us a small amount of time to resort to online learning to resume classes. There’s nothing special about virtual learning, except having multiple classrooms in your hands.
As virtual learning takes over, it’s still a bumpy road as all of us are still grappling with the situation. While everyone is doing their might to adapt and reach common ground, several factors hinder us from doing so. Perhaps, this is more like a survival-of-the-fittest-drama. Now, let us try to highlight the voices of three of the most affected parties — the students, the parents, and the educators — as they cope with the current situation and adjust to online learning.
“Ma’am, hindi raw po makaka-attend si ***** at walang kuryente sa kanila”
Undeniably, a large portion of the students is struggling with online classes. Given that most of them do not have the necessary learning equipment, problems with unstable internet connections, and how the transition affects their mental and over-all being, there are still other situations that most of us aren’t aware of. Students definitely don’t have the same stories, and no one can ever know these all.
The learning environment is also a challenge for most students. The distractions while attending virtual classes are inevitable, given that not everyone has a conducive learning environment. Some only have a connection in their kitchen area, so noises from Nanay asking for a magic sarap and Ate or Kuya doing the dishes are resonating. These distractions pull their attention away from tasks at hand and diminish their productivity.
Also, every student’s responsibilities in their own home and how it affects their learning experience must not be ignored. Most students perform chores in their houses as being the eldest or being the most capable. They tend to multi-task, doing household chores while being virtually present in their classes.
While some students can attend classes without worrying about their daily expenses, some just can’t. Some students unceasingly find jobs to keep up with their studies. Some work part-time during their vacant hours, and others even attend their classes while being physically present in their jobs. Exhausting, indeed.
“Anak, abot pa ba iyang load mo hanggang bukas?”
While adapting to the new normal, parents also struggle to cope with their children’s virtual classes. It really is upsetting for parents to see their children wrestle with their studies while all they can do is provide them the best assistance they can give. Fathers are making study tables while mothers are distressed to borrow laptops while also reassuring that their homes will be a good environment to learn at.
Despite being incapable of providing some things, parents make sure that they give their children emotional support and better understand the situation. Parents giving the utmost encouragement they can give while their children exert their best efforts to learn make this burden a little bearable. Now, how can it be for students who don’t have this support? That will definitely be another huge story.
“Hello, class! Is my audio clear? Can you see my presentation?”
Not only students but teachers also encounter problems with this online learning set-up. Some lack the teaching materials and equipment, hindering them from teaching effectively and efficiently. Some have enough materials but what burdens them is how they’re not that ‘kept up’ with today’s technology — be it the usage of gadgets or the online platforms. It is harder for them to give proper supervision in their classes compared to the traditional educational set-up. They can’t apply hands-on guidance to ensure that every student keeps up with the lessons.
Like students, our educators have difficulty with time management — doing their responsibilities at home while teaching and making sure their students learn. Imagine them handling at least three classes a day, and still making sure that their family has something to eat for dinner, assisting their kids on their respective online classes, or going to the market to buy some supplies. They also experience the struggle of settling on a spot where the noisy neighborhood or household can come out of the picture during teaching sessions.
It’s a must that instructors give utmost consideration for the students since they are not in control of the students’ faulty internet connection, home responsibilities, part-time jobs, and the like. However, at this point, it’s just as important for students to understand their instructors’ situations because they also struggle on their own.
We have known different perspectives on this online learning. Perhaps you might be talking with your classmates, co-teachers, neighbors, and hearing real stories you don’t know because you are busy reading only yours. A story won’t be known if not told, and if you don’t know the story, you can’t speak of it. Let it be a reminder that everyone is fighting their own battles, and the least we can do is practice compassion with or without knowing the story.
Everyone has reasons or excuses — from the most common to the most trivial ones. By now, you must have learned how to listen and stop invalidating others’ battles because, with this pandemic, the struggle is real.
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