D-205 Teachers Still Talking To Computer: 6th Grader

ELMHURST, IL — Full in-person learning started Monday in Elmhurst School District 205. It got a poor review from at least one student.

During Tuesday's school board meeting, Avery Brauneis, a sixth-grader at Sandburg Middle School, spoke during public input.

Brauneis told the board that most of the teachers are still teaching to their computer. Even with full in-person learning, some students are connected remotely.

"Most of my favorite classes are my favorite because the teacher interacts with us and talks to us," Brauneis said. "One of my classes has almost 30 kids, and the teacher spends most of the time talking to the computer at two remote kids, instead of the 28 that are sitting right in front of him."

Because of that, Brauneis said there was little benefit being in school for many classes as opposed to being connected at home on Zoom.

With full in-person learning, the district held lunch for the first time this year — which, in Brauneis's perspective, was a challenge as well.

"I was instructed to sit somewhere where the only people around me were two boys whom I didn't know," she said. "As the lunch period continued, I felt lonely without my friends, which was very hard for me."

Brauneis suggested dividing the lunchroom into four parts and marking where students could sit every 6 feet apart. In such a system, she said, students could choose where they sit.

She also suggested asking students to list 10 or so of their classmates they would be fine sitting with at lunch. Then, she said, the school could give each student a few of their requests for seatmates at lunch.

"I agree we should make friends," Brauneis said, "but right now we need the support of people that we already know and trust."

Later in the meeting, board member Courtenae Trautmann noted Brauneis's statement.

"I don't think my daughter had much of a different situation. 'Oh, who'd you sit next to.' She's, like, 'I got no idea,'" Trautmann said.

Trautmann suggested the district consider ways to "tweak" the seating system at lunch.