Studies have shown that the pandemic had a negative effect on student learning. The National Bureau of Economic Research studied 2021 Spring test data across districts in a dozen states. They found that students with more in person learning saw smaller declines in math and reading scores then districts that were online longer.

Mr. Kempner, a teacher at New Providence High School since 2005, agreed with the findings of the study. He thinks his students performed better in class because they have better time management and can seek extra help from a peer, or teacher.

“Just the ability to ask their friends right next to them, or ask the teacher and seek guidance. It might have been even more difficult to do while you had a classroom of 30 kids on a screen,” Mr. Kempner stated.

Freshman, Maddy Spencer says that it was more simple to learn in person than online.

“It’s much easier for students to ask questions and receive demonstrations in person where you get an immediate response, whereas online you can’t get that as much,” she said.

“Learning online at home makes it easier for me to get distracted. I would not be focused and doing work would take me longer to do work then it should’ve,” said Katelin Sturdevant.

She described her experiences during COVID as “dull and uneventful.” Being at home also led her to do most of her classes in bed, which led her to feeling lazy and not getting much work done.

A majority of students have noticed a decline in their grades at the beginning of COVID. Day to day, online learning could get boring, and distractions such as phones, parents being on work calls, falling asleep, siblings running around were unavoidable.  

All of this had an impact on students even when they returned to the classroom in person.  Some teachers have noticed a change in behavior, where students have become less focused and more distracted by the smallest things. For some of them, it seemed as if they were acting like they were still at home and not taking learning seriously.