By SAMARA MEHTA, CHRISTINA MONTANTE and ARABELLA BALGOBIND
“Learning from the comfort of my own home has never been easier,” many might think. Yet this expectation is definitely far from reality for many students at Jericho High School. Loud neighbors, annoying siblings and social media–these simple at-home distractions never cease to disrupt the flow of the school day.
It’s safe to say that students at Jericho appreciate having the ability to learn from home, but some still have mixed feelings about online learning. Freshman Sydney B. said, “I do and I don’t like online school at the same time. It’s really easy to get distracted, but it’s more comfortable to be in my own home.”
Many teenagers are so glued to social media applications that they are incapable of staying off of them during online classes. “I try my hardest to stay focused by putting my phone down, but the second I get a notification I end up going right back on my phone,” said freshman Camryn Y.
The JerEcho conducted a survey concerning distractions that may occur during remote learning. 85% of the 188 participants responded that they do use their phones during their classes for non-academic purposes. The social media platforms they reported using with the greatest frequency include Instagram, Tiktok, YouTube and Snapchat.
Only 17% of the total participants responded that they do not use any additional devices for recreational use during their online classes.
Math teacher Mr. Berry said, “I know for myself over the summer I took a few online courses, and I felt myself getting distracted, so I can only imagine for students at home.”
One-third of the survey respondents said that they feel distracted during online learning more than half of the time, and 13% said that they feel distracted all of the time.
There is a multitude of reasons why students may feel quite prone to distractions while learning from their own homes. Around 46% of the respondents say that they talk to their friends for at least half of the school day.
Around 67% of students feel they become distracted the most due to background noises from either parents and siblings.
Teachers do notice when students are distracted. Science teacher Ms. Kipnis said, “There are a couple of things that are red flags to me. My students are either laughing or having a conversation, and it’s very obvious to see through the screen.”
Some students have developed strategies to reduce distraction. More than 50% of participants responded that by keeping a clean and organized workspace, along with shutting off their phones, they are able to stay focused in class. “To avoid distractions, my mom will tell me to keep my phone in the charger or I’ll put it away in my drawer,” said senior Bill L.