Imagine this. You are a teacher at Coppell High School, logging onto Zoom and getting ready for a full day of work. Your first class starts. A smatter of students have cameras on and are alert, while everyone else has the video setting off and are unresponsive for the duration of class. 

This scenario has played out daily since virtual school began on Aug. 17. With a majority of students “absent” before attendance is even called, the CHS administrative team decided to make some changes. 

Since Sept. 1, when logging onto Zoom, students are required to use their school email account. This ensures that the Zoom links and calls are not shared with anyone outside of school. Additionally, teachers do not have to worry about who they are admitting into class, and can transition from the waiting room smoothly into the classroom.

“Honestly, the whole point is to protect [students’] privacy,” CHS assistant principal Chris Gollner said. “We wanted to make sure that the class was uninterrupted and that [students] can quickly adapt to this new form of education. Teachers are the ones in the trenches, and helping them ease the stress will ultimately help the students.”

Once logged on, students’ video must be turned on while they are in the frame, out of bed and alert. “It feels strange to be in a Zoom breakout room where I can’t even see the people I’m talking to,” CHS senior Lauren Myers said. “Most of my classes have been pretty good about keeping their cameras on. Because of that, class feels a bit more engaging and real.” 

If any of these requirements are not met, the instructor is required to remove those students from class. Implementing this may alleviate the stress on teachers by providing a quick solution. Instead of asking if everyone can turn cameras on, they can easily remove students from the call.

“It is going to affect the class positively,” CHS statistics teacher Paul Lidster said.  “Now, there will be accountability to being online and present in the classroom.”

These new rules take into account both sides of the equation – teachers and students. While making class smoother for educators, it also ensures the privacy and engagement of the students. 

“Engagement is huge because without feedback or discussion, you will not learn,” Gollner said. “By introducing these simple but meaningful rules, we can protect this environment as much as possible.” 

Follow Blanche Harris (@blanchegang) and @CHSCampusNews on Twitter.