Senior opts for flex

Senior Kaiti Mathias described how the Flex Learning option is going for her in Milton Area High School.  

Kaiti currently takes Agricultural Science 2 and English. On Mondays, Wednesdays and every other Friday, she attends virtually. On Tuesdays and Thursdays she said she attends school in person.  

Kaiti said she chose flex because of a family member’s health issue. She said she wanted to be able to be there for her family. Flex is difficult, but it has advantages, she added.  

 She said that she is glad she doesn’t have to come Mondays because she enjoys not having to wake up at 7 a.m. 

Kaiti stated that flex is also difficult because she doesn’t have her teachers to explain things in person. Also, she doesn’t get to interact with her teachers face to face.  

Kaiti would change some aspects of the flex option if she could, she said. She said that she feels like online students should get time with the teacher one on one so they understand more. It would be easier for online students to get the time to listen to the teacher one on one rather than trying to listen to the teacher teach the in person class. 

 According to Kaiti, online schooling is easier when other students are online with her on Wednesdays because she has everyone working with her. Teachers are teaching all of the students together instead of both the in person class and virtual students, she added. 

Like many other students, Kaiti said she has had issues with internet connection on her computer. She added that she solves the problems by reporting them to tech or shutting down and restarting her computer. Kaiti said she has some funny things happen to her.  

“I forgot to mute myself when arguing with my teacher,” Kaiti said. She added it wasn’t a real argument; she was just upset with herself. 

Last March, Kaiti and the whole school had to go fully virtual due to COVID-19. Kaiti said this year teachers know more about the schedule guidelines, and that helps students out a lot. There are plenty of times she has wished she was in school during flex, she said. She added that doing the flex schedule could affect her future by getting familiar with online learning.  

Kaiti said that she doesn’t think she will ever fully virtual.  

“Sometimes I have a hard time learning just online because I can’t ask for help in person,” she said.  

 Kaiti said she is doing her best in her Agricultural class because she has the best grade in that class. She has a better understanding in Agricultural class because that’s what she wants to do in college, she added.  

English Teacher Mr. Wesley Cromley, one of Kaiti’s teachers, said overall, flex students are doing well. He said that he cannot comment how only any specific student is doing. He said sometimes there is lagging with drop boxes. Some students are better at turning in work than others, he added.  

  Mr. Cromley said students should organize themselves, and he takes time to encourage them to do so. He added that he feels other teachers should talk to their students about organization too.