By Jordan Givens | The start of a new semester always brings different classroom policies. With COVID-19, the classroom experience has changed even more.
Howard Payne University students are attending in-person classes. There are many policies in place to ensure the health and safety of students. These policies have many effects on professors and students.
Dr. Danny Brunette-Lopez, associate professor of Spanish and chair of the department of modern languages, teaches a language where students must repeat words and sounds in order to learn.
“The learning and acquiring of a foreign language requires constant interaction with students,” said Brunette-Lopez.
Brunette-Lopez has made efforts to manage the policies within the classroom.
“We socially distance appropriately, and before each interactive activity we remind each other of any precautions we must take,” he said.
Because students are willing to follow precautions and policies professors feel more at ease teaching under the policies and precautions set in place by HPU.
“With this type of environment and team mentality, I feel more at ease teaching in the classroom,” said Brunette-Lopez.
One of the policies in place is that “face coverings are required in all indoor spaces on the Howard Payne University campus, including in classrooms during classes” (HPU COVID-29 policy handbook) with the exception of when students are six feet apart. Despite this change, Brunette-Lopez has a positive outlook on how he runs his Spanish classes.
“Due to COVID-19, I have found other interesting instructional ways to engage students within the classroom that do not impede with regard to foreign language learning,” added Brunette-Lopez.
When it comes to online learning, Brunette-Lopez said he is prepared to transition if the need arises.
“Our information technology team has done an outstanding job in preparing faculty in the event we must go online completely,” he added.
Brenden Hough, a junior practical theology major, does not think that masks interfere with learning in the classroom.
“Masks haven’t interfered [with learning] outside of talking. Honestly the hardest part about wearing masks is remembering to grab one on the way out of the dorm,” said Hough.
Some classes are designed for hands on learning, and to transfer to online learning would result in loss of instruction. Hough said that many of his classes involved hands-on learning.
“There is a significant loss of instruction that will come as a result if we move completely back online,” added Hough.
Some professors said that the biggest challenge is the loss of the more personal approach to teaching.
Wendy Grooms, associate professor of mathematics, focuses on her students and getting to know them personally.
“I believe my teaching is most effective when I know my students on a personal level,” said Grooms.
Grooms said that masks mainly interfere with the personal aspect of the classroom environment.
“The face coverings have significantly delayed the process of putting a name to a face since I see only a small portion of my students’ faces. This has led to challenges when dealing with student concerns/struggles because I’ve had trouble associating their individual needs with a person rather than with a masked individual,” added Grooms.
Despite hardships with the personal aspect, the policies have not diminished the community within classes. Grooms added that her faith and reliance on Biblical principles has helped her.
“Psalms 112:7 says that ‘He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.’ Therefore, I do not worry about COVID, nor the effects of COVID,” said Grooms.
Students may not be as prepared if classes do transition to online curriculum.
Mary Beth Lane, senior elementary education major, has found a new normal and routine and to go online would disrupt all of that again.
“A lot of my classes have to deal with phonics and how to use resources, and [those of us] in the education department work together a lot in small groups,” added Lane.
Doing certain classroom activities over Zoom and other online platforms is not effective.
“It would strip away more of my senior year than already has been,” added Lane.
Classes have been going smoothly according to professors and students. With many changes in campus life, HPU has been diligent in keeping the health and safety of students as a top priority in returning to face-to-face instruction.