There is no question about it: remote learning is still taking some getting used to for students and teachers alike. Portsmouth High School staff used what they learned last year from remote learning, and blended it into a hybrid schedule. There of course has been much discussion on how these learning constraints affect the curriculum, but an overlooked aspect of online learning is how students’ learning spaces at home affect their attitudes and mental/physical health.

Many students already had desks or spaces at home where they could accomplish work. While attempts are being made on the teaching and administrative end to limit time spent in front of the computer, the negative consequences of attempting to learn for long periods of time in front of a screen are becoming obvious. 

Senior Liam Gravelle describes learning from home, and his experiences with his home learning environment:  “I feel like learning from home definitely has its positives, but also its negatives. For me I struggle to stay motivated in my home learning environment. Especially the ability to lay in my bed whenever I please has begun to make me lazy. The thing I miss most about school is being able to see my friends and socialize with them.” Being at home has definitely given students added comfort, but how does this comfort compare to the quality of the learning?

The positives of learning from home have not been ignored by students. Without passing times, lunch, or  traditional TASC students are much more capable of working at their own pace with many assignments and projects. Senior, Grace Reed comments on these positives: “Being at home gives me the opportunity to do my work in my own time and not feel pressured by the clock as much as I am in school. But it is tougher to find motivation and stay focused.” 

Many understand the need for online learning to keep everyone safe, like senior Thomas Weir: “I don’t prefer learning from home, but I do understand it’s the right thing to do. I don’t learn any more or less online… I’ve accepted the number one priority is keeping people safe.”

The current situation of learning at Portsmouth High School is not ideal, but there are many ways to make learning at home more manageable. Taking some time to move around before and after a class can help with staying focused. Keeping your home learning environment clean, and attempting to make it both conducive to learning as well as comfortable can help with motivation.

It’s undetermined how long P.H.S will be operating with a hybrid schedule, but it is the safest and closest option students and teachers have to regular schooling at the moment.