KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As most schools return to full-time in-person instruction, students are facing yet another transition.
While virtual learning presented a challenge for everyone involved in education, some students actually thrived in this different form of schooling.
Nina Rojo Moreno was one of those students.
She was in seventh grade at Crossroads Preparatory Academy when the pandemic started, forcing her school to transition to remote learning.
Her mom, Christy Moreno, said the change was difficult at first, but soon her daughter caught on and began to flourish.
"Nina is a very independent student," Christy Moreno said. "She enjoys working at her own pace."
Nina Moreno said the format of virtual learning fit her style.
"I tend to work a lot faster than people," she said. "So for me, it was easier to just finish it all [and] just say 'I'm done. Can I leave the zoom?'"
She ended up making the honor roll last school year.
Virtual learning also gave Christy Moreno a chance to get more involved in her daughter's education.
"Throughout all of this time doing virtual learning, we have actually been in the classroom with our kids and we had not experienced this before," she said. "So now I know Nina more as a student than I did before, which has been a blessing and has also given me the opportunity to engage more in her education."
When Nina Moreno's school announced everyone would be back in person this year, her family did consider moving to a virtual option, like Missouri's MOCAP.
Christy Moreno said she and her daughter decided that program wasn't a good fit. Instead, they're working through this new transition together.
"We're taking [it] one day at a time. But I have found it really wonderful that we're partnering with our schools and our teachers and really having that strong relationship," Christy Moreno said.
Nina Moreno began her freshman year at Crossroads Prep in early August.
"It wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be," she said.
She also had some advice for other students who are worried about this transition.
"Definitely talk to the teachers if they need adjustments for anything because communication is key with this," she said.
Christy Moreno urged parents to keep a close eye on their kids' mental health during this transition. She said she even sought counseling for her son to give him more emotional support.
"We have to understand that academic growth doesn't exist on its own. It's a holistic approach; if the child as a whole is not where they need to be, they're not thriving, then that's going to impact their their academic learning," she said. "The schools have counselors, they have social workers. Don't be afraid to reach out because that is going to impact our kids."
Susan Pinne, a clinical social worker at St. Luke's Health System, had similar advice. She also encouraged parents to manage their own emotions.
"The most important thing to do is to be calm yourself, to set aside enough time for your child to open up and to let them know that you understand their fears, that you validate their concerns and that whatever they say, you'll be calm and you won't over react to it," Pinne said.
Teachers can help make the transition a bit easier as well.
Cornell Ellis, a former teacher and current advocate for education, urged teachers to give their students agency in the classroom.
"Give students choice and voice in your classroom," Ellis said. "Give them the opportunity to express how they're feeling about a lesson, how they would like to show their learning, at what pace feels comfortable for them. Building that trusting relationship from the very beginning will allow students to feel like they can be vulnerable with teachers."
For the future, Nina Moreno and her family are keeping their options open. She said she would consider doing a hybrid program, where she is virtual most of the time but still goes to school in-person periodically to see her friends and teachers.
Christy Moreno said while the past year and a half has been difficult, she now knows her family is ready to take on any challenge that comes their way.
"I think they're stronger students because they're able to adapt," she said. "They have gained that. They're able to adapt to times of crisis."
