Teachers bring technology to in-person classes

During distance learning, many teachers and students became more familiar with different online programs. Now that everyone has returned to in-class instruction, teachers have more options to integrate technology into their lesson plans. 

“The one thing that I really carried over from distance learning is that I’m regularly uploading everything to Google Classroom. The slide decks are in there for students to review before a test, and then also if students are absent, they can look in Google Classroom to get a sense of what they missed,” said government and psychology teacher Carmelina Frasca. 

While some teachers are choosing to return to classwork on paper, other teachers are using more online programs for teaching their lessons this year. Many teachers are also combining the two, returning to doing traditional classwork while also supplementing lessons with online resources. 

“For the most part, I’m returning to my normal instructional strategies,” said Frasca. 

This year, all students at CVHS have a district-owned Chromebook checked out to them. In the past, classrooms had Chromebook carts that students could use during the class periods. Students are advised to bring their Chromebooks and chargers to school every day, so they can be used during class time. 

Some classes are more reliant on technology than other classes, but students don’t seem to mind. 

“It’s not really different from online school except there’s more off screen work in my classes. In some classes we only use computers, but it doesn’t really make that big of a difference,” said senior Andrea Aguirre. 

Even though students are back in the classroom for in person instruction, teachers are still using websites including Google Classroom to keep everyone up to date with current assignments. When students aren’t able to attend class, having assignments posted in Google Classroom allows them to still be caught up with the work when they return. 

Having additional online resources can be especially helpful for students who need to quarantine at home after a potential Covid exposure, or even if they’re just staying home for the day. 

“I’m still using playlists for my students, so they can use resources like Edpuzzles or YouTube videos anytime they want,” said math teacher Sue Han. “Other than my direct help, they can get additional support if they need it.”