SIMI VALLEY, CA (NCC NEWS)– Classes will be held online for students all over California. The Simi Valley Unified School District is providing children in their community with chrome books, and internet. Two weeks before schools in California re-open, parents, and teachers have concerns. People fear learning online will limit socializing, and learning of social cues. Greg Amaro said that his two sons will not learn some social skills because of online learning.
“Socializing and learning those social skills of learning to adapt with all the different types of people we have on this planet,” Amaro said. “Going into virtual learning, you are not getting the social teachings.”
Amaro said he fears his children will not learn how to defend themselves against bullying. But parents are not the only ones concerned — teachers in the area are also worried.
Simi Valley High School’s Robert Wickwire has worked as a teacher for 26 years. He said it’s hard to keep a student’s attention in class, so having classes online only makes it harder. Wickwire has similar concerns about the lack of socializing this fall.
“I’m kind of like a comedian when I’m teaching, and that’s what I love about it, and keeping the kids laughing,” Wickwire said. “I’m not that serious teacher, and I really have a hard time doing that with zoom.”
At school, he gives students time to do their homework in class, and students interact with him by asking questions.
“I like seeing the kids, that’s why I teach,” Wickwire said. “With Zoom, it’s you know they’re not really there.”
Schools in Simi Valley will be online for the fall, and there has been no decision for what the spring will look like in the area.
