Students will be starting a new month at home as the shelter at home order remains in place and schools remain closed amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
One local school is crediting STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) learning for preparing its students for something they didn't even know they'd need to be ready for.
For most students at Old Mission School in San Luis Obispo, learning in the classroom is done on a Google Chromebook and one-on-one with the teacher, according to Meghan O'Carroll, a parent of two students at Old Mission School.
Now that students have to learn from home, O'Carroll says not much has changed and the transition from learning inside the classroom to learning at home has been seamless. She says her two kids are still going to school every day and there's still a routine, it's just done virtually.
"They have class from nine to 12 and they use the Zoom technology, which is really cool, it's provided a sense of normalcy and sense of morale for the kids because they see their friends and they see their teacher," O'Carroll said. "They're using the Google Classroom as well, but for three hours they're in there and teaching them. "
Aside from the core classes, like math, science and english, O'Carroll says her students are even getting in their physical education through Zoom and will soon be offered music classes on the same platform.
O'Carroll, who formally served as the president of the Parent Club at Old Mission School, says she was one of the parents who really pushed for STEM curriculum. She credits the curriculum and the teachers and staff at Old Mission School for such a fluid transition from learning inside the classroom to learning at home.
"For my family, it's really brought a sense of happiness and I feel like it takes away the things going on outside that I can't control," O'Carroll said.
