It is no secret that virtual classrooms are very different from learning in the actual classroom. The setting is at your home, not the school; a lot of the work is done online, not on paper; and a major adjustment has to be made to become acclimated to this new environment – for both students and teachers. One major area of concern for everyone involved is how the academic rigor would be held up while learning virtually. Heading into the year, while the new online format was clear, the intensity of working online was unknown.One marking period is now just about in the books, and it’s a good time to examine that academic rigor. 

For North Penn senior and AP german student Katelynn Higgins, this first part of the year virtually has been exactly what she expected coming into the year from a class difficulty standpoint.

“I personally think that the rigor is not too hard, not too easy. There is just enough work and my classes are not too overwhelming,” Higgins said.

Although the rigor is what Higgins was prepared and ready for, she feels that the topics have been easier to pick up for a couple of reasons.

“I would say the topics are easier to understand virtually because I feel less rushed. I feel like learning is more independent so you can learn at your own pace at times,” Higgins explained.

Rafic Eid, a junior at North Penn High School, experiences his AP classes similarly.

“I think the rigor of classes hasn’t changed too much. Some teachers have made certain tests open notes, which makes things easier,” Eid said.

But not being in the classroom did make things harder. Just like many other students at North Penn, Eid feels less motivated at times. Sitting at the computer all day is grueling and tiring, but Eid does his best to not let his lack of motivation hold him back.

“I go into tests with the same confidence as I always have, because virtual or not, if I know that I studied well I am confident,” Eid said. 

His hard work pays off in dividends for him and has allowed him to grasp concepts the same as he would before.

“I have found that I am able to pick up topics just as well over the screen as I would in-person. The important thing is to schedule meetings with your teachers when you do not understand something.”

Much like students are preparing for and expecting high rigor from their classes, teachers are trying their absolute hardest to uphold it on their ends. But not everything is achievable.

“I leave out some topics so I can teach the topics I am teaching at a high level,” said North Penn mathematics teacher, Mrs. Amy Hrinyak.

Mrs. Hrinyak puts all of her focus on important topics as an effort to solidify her students’ understanding of what is most impactful to the course. 

A big part of keeping the rigor in a class is being able to get the information across to your students in a timely manner. However, explanation strategies must be altered over a computer screen because of the fact that students can only see the face of a teacher. Some changes can be for the better though.

“I feel like I am explaining things better because students cannot see my hands pointing, so I have to think how to describe things in words more than I did before,” explained Hrinyak

Although she feels that she is explaining better, Mrs. Hrinyak is having trouble figuring out if people are understanding the concept. This is a result of students not putting their cameras on.

“It’s hard for me to understand in real time how kids are understanding the material,” Hrinyak said. “I can tell by the look on people’s faces. I can’t tell if you’re puzzled with your cameras off.”

Hrinyak has been happy with her rigor over a computer and is excited for some of her students to return for in-person learning.

While some teachers may not be able to completely work through what they want, Mrs. Sarah Levandowski, a North Penn English teacher, faces her similar tasks in a slightly different manner. 

 “We are doing everything we would’ve normally done in class. I am full steam ahead with the plans I have always used; it’s just been tweaking those things to work online,” Levandowski explained. 

Levandowski is keeping a positive mindset and pushes her students the same way she would in-person. Things may be different, but she does the best she can to maximize what is done in class. But, the initial adjustment was not the easiest for her and her students. 

“It’s definitely harder…doing everything in this completely new way; I had not been prepared for anything that we are doing [now]” noted Levandowski, “One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from all this is increasing flexibility in how we are doing things; even though you may have a plan, it may not actually happen.”

This applies to both her and the students. Levandowksi noted that there was extra adversity placed on the students.

“We are asking teenagers to do a lot in terms of staying on top of everything, organizing themselves and managing their time, which in the school building, we [teachers] actually take on a lot of that. Online, a lot of the energy focused on staying motivated has been solely by the students, which I noticed is difficult for some, and easy for others with most people in the middle ground trying to figure it out.”

Nevertheless, she stays committed to helping students become comfortable with the situation and feels her students are doing just as good as last year. 

Getting acclimated to the new online environment has been difficult for many, but solutions are found nearly every day. Virtual teaching has helped to provide new strategies implemented by Levandowski to help students online. These new strategies are now going to be used in Hybrid, and eventually when school is back to normal. 

She also feels that technology allows for, “More students to participate now … Using the chat feature has also been really helpful because kids who may not verbally respond can respond through typing, which helps our interaction.”

She thinks that this has an extremely positive effect, and will carry over into Hybrid learning. 

Devotion by both the students and the teachers is key in upholding the proper rigors of learning, and both Mrs. Hrinyak and Mrs. Levandowski feel that the rigor is upheld in the same manner, and both have proven that their hopeful outlooks are effective

Although the teachers are providing their students with the best rigor possible,  North Penn High School principal, Mr. Pete Nicholson has to oversee and help facilitate the whole process. His leadership throughout the shift towards online school has been important, helping create new opportunities and influence positivity in the school through this unusual time

Nicholson has seen every teacher in action throughout the school year so far and is very impressed by the flexibility and adaptability that everyone has shown to keep their rigor at a high level.

“I know many of them are busier now than they’ve ever been and it’s been a struggle for many of them but, as always, I’m extremely proud of all the hard work they’ve done and how flexible they’ve been through all the changes this fall,” Nicholson said.

One big tool that every person in North Penn High School has access to is the ability to use technology in any way they need, and Nicholson believes that teachers are using this to the fullest to maintain high levels of instruction.

“It’s been great to see them using technology to its fullest and rethinking the way they manage their classes so that all students are able to learn the material and heold to the high standards that we expect here in North Penn,” Nicholson explained.

The positives do not end here though, with hybrid classes just around the corner, Nicholson is staying positive and addresses the North Penn community as a whole with confidence.

“I think every change that we’ve gone through over the past almost 8 months has been challenging. Certainly, nothing is the way it was prior to March 12, and this transition will be a challenge,” said Nicholson, “but I’ve seen such resiliency from both our teachers and students since this all started that I know things will turn out fine.”

His reflection upon the students and teachers sends out one clear message: while struggles may occur often in these times, our ability to adapt to big changes and new situations is unprecedented. His expectations show the school that he believes that students and teachers are ready to embark on a new challenge of the school year. North Penn may not be the same this academic year, but the culture of hardworking people is still here.