The AWL list has been a concern for coaches because the amount of students on it has increased this year. It goes hand in hand considering what circumstances many are in could be a factor in why more students are failing their classes and not doing their work.

“I think it’s hard for a lot of students to know how to be productive at home so I think it’s difficult to find your routine because when you are at school in person the routine is set for you and at home it provides feels like you are constantly doing homework rather than going through a school day,” Tiffany Underwood, math teacher and cheer coach, said.

With workloads being different, teachers advise students to take advantage of office hours and ask for help when needed. Learning how to balance how much time all students take on each assignment can be challenging.

“I think teachers are doing their best to provide the appropriate amount of homework but I think it’s sometimes difficult to engage how long it’s going to take students to accomplish something but that is something the teachers are trying to focus on,” Underwood said. “Utilizing teachers when you’re at home and reaching out for help is never a bad thing.”

Keeping communication between students and teachers has been an ongoing theme throughout the year.  

“I do think so, myself included, I really struggled to understand what students needed until I got feedback but as the school year has gone on I have gotten better at creating classes that are better for students to do their school work but even now I still am getting feedback,” Andrea Marshbank, debate coach, said. “It’s a responsibility for the teachers and students to be communicating well but it is tough.”

Online school has created opportunities for more distractions while at home, which could factor into overall learning. 

“It’s much easier to get off task and is a lot easier to not be engaged in the learning but it does take out the social aspect so it’s less fun but students are dealing with a lot of factors right now and I do think one of the factors is that it’s very easy to avoid doing school work,” Marshbank said.

Online school has presented new challenges that may make gaining knowledge challenging. The hybrid learning model has shortened the amount of face-to-face interaction that students receive from their teachers. 

“Some of the students who are on the AWL list are dependent on busses and they can’t get here and those are the kids I feel sorry for and have more compassion and sympathy for,” Stephen Loy, art teacher and soccer coach, said. “People who have their own cars that are over at the mall or wherever else instead of here are not taking charge of their education and I think if you can come here to get help do it.”

In a typical school year, a student would be in a structured classroom five days a week. This year a student’s responsibility has been shifted to developing new time management and focus skills, as opposed to just schoolwork. 

“I think without structure you guys get lost, you don’t want to say you guys want to be here but you do. If you are left at home it is too easy to sleep until 10 am, turn on Netflix, or get some food and sit on the couch rather than grind out your homework,” Loy said. “Us adults are the same way, the month of December was too easy to not constantly plan lessons and do things.”