Teachers, Students React to Flexible Instruction Days

The Fleetwood Area Schoold District has used four out of the five available Flexible Instruction Days this year, but are they actually effective?

FID days are called when the weather is too threatening to come into school; however, instead of getting the day off, there are zoom calls set up from each teacher. It is required that teachers hold a zoom for attendance and instruction purposes. The FID day hours are 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. 

At the district’s request, many teachers do not zoom for the entire class period. Work tends to be assigned but is not due until a future date. For example, math teacher Mrs. Laura Treichler trusts her students to log in on time, listen to the instructions of the given assignment, and then log off and complete the work by the due date.

“I think these days give the students a chance to show their responsibility and maturity,” Treichler said. 

With the teachers relying on the students to finish their work at home, it can be difficult for a teacher to figure out what to assign. There is also the struggle presented by the internet.

Some students have horrible internet access, and Zoom will kick them on and off. Not only does that take away the student’s learning time, but it also takes away the teacher’s attention for the rest of the class.

A student’s opinion on FID days differs based on their means of learning.

If a student thrives in a classroom environment, then learning through a screen will cause issues for that student. On the other hand, if being more independent helps the student get his or her work done, then being at home will be an advantage. 

Student and teacher opinions can vary due to the benefits, like getting other days off throughout the year, having full breaks without extensions on the end of the year, etc., but the struggles of Wi-Fi problems, an inconsistent workload, and the difficulty of comprehending instruction via Zoom should not be overlooked.