Cranford Review 2021

Student Testimonials – Lockdown Stories 3/3
SIXTH FORM
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I personally spent my time finding new hobbies and
exploring my options for the future but there were times
where I felt that my efforts weren’t going anywhere, but
by being as open as I was and talking to my peers and
teachers it made me realise that everything happens for a
reason and that this was just an example of that.
Mudathir Ahmed (year 12)
My learning experience during lockdown was a learning
curve for me. I am a very sociable person, so the aspect
of not being able to socialise was daunting. My teachers
used creative methods such as Kahoot to create a
classroom environment and keep us all socialising as if we
were in school. However, I maintained a good routine by
regulating myself to wake up every day as if I was going
to school. I kept every day as in sync as I could muster by
creating a timetable (as I would have in school) to follow
and sitting at my table to help me get in the mind-set of
wanting to work. I managed my wellbeing through a lot of
exercise and I kept in contact with people and socialised
in class and group work activities so I wasn’t secluded.
In addition, I still involved myself in activities I would
have to partake in at school. My biggest challenge was
motivating and disciplining myself to stay independent
and on top of my work. I had to go over content I didn’t
understand and reach out to teachers via Teams, who were
very helpful and supportive in answering any questions.
I have 3 younger siblings in a small home...that itself
brought many challenges as it did for many others I am
sure! Nevertheless, lockdown taught me that I am far
more resilient than I thought I was, far more disciplined
than I thought I was, and making sure I prioritise
my wellbeing above anything else.
Ruqaya Qureshi, (year 12)
When lockdown struck, I felt that the transition into remote
learning was not too disruptive. My teachers made a great
effort in adapting their teaching methods to fit the new
circumstances. Online platforms like Microsoft Teams
also made remote learning interactive and improved
communication. Occasionally, I took part in quizzes on
apps like Kahoot which made the learning more engaging
and encouraged me to be competitive. Completing and
submitting my assignments via Teams was simple as my
tasks were sorted by their due date. This improved my
organisational skills as everything was in one place and
easily accessible. Although there was a lot of uncertainty
and negativity in the media, I tried to stay optimistic with
the hope of life returning to normality.
Rohan Kapoor (year 12)
Remote learning was indeed challenging; however, I
can honestly say that my experience of online learning
during the coronavirus pandemic has been a positive one.
I found it crucial to have a structured daily routine in
order to have a sense of normality. The number one thing
I tried to do was treat each lesson as if I were physically
going to them. It was quite easy to get distracted (by
distractions such as phone), however I would try to keep
it out of reach to minimise the distractions. Moreover, I
think that sticking to the timetable helped me to insert
some structure into my working day and life in general.
It was quite tempting sometimes to miss study centre
lessons, nonetheless I tried to follow my usual timetable.
Moreover, one advantage of virtual learning was that
lessons were usually recorded which meant we were able
to revisit them and pause them in order to make notes or
to absorb what had been said, which you cannot do in
a real time lesson! Various platforms other than Teams
were used to make learning interactive and interesting.
Multiple choice quizzes on Kerboodle were an effective
way to make lessons interactive and trying to find gaps
in knowledge.
Manpreet Bahtra (year 12)
During lockdown my teachers ensured that every lesson
was interactive and engaging through the use of various
apps such as Kahoot. This helped to reduce the gap
between online learning and face to face learning. I
maintained a good daily routine by making a timetable
that helped me to stay on top of my work and it also left
me with plenty of free time. I also managed to stay positive
by maintaining an optimistic outlook on life and getting
plenty of fresh air too!
Filsan Abdillahi (year 12)
Lockdown was a very hard period for me to
stay attentive and on top of my work because we were at
the beginning of our A-level journey, with new subjects. At
first it was a struggle getting to grips with a new online
schedule not to mention using Teams for the first time. I
am grateful to my teachers as they incorporated ways to
keep the class interactive such as break out rooms or
even a simple game. I believe that over the course, remote
learning improved the quality of my work and is
evident in my current grades. I stuck to a strict timetable
that guaranteed my work to be complete. Maintaining
a healthy daily routine is critical especially throughout
that time. Constantly doing schoolwork made me feel
overwhelmed so I would use relaxation techniques
such as walks, reading or even a phone call to my
friends. It allowed me to feel ‘normal’ again under the
circumstances. To stay positive during this time, I would
remind myself of my end goal that I’m striving to
achieve. This kept me going and gave me the drive to
work harder. Demotivation was my biggest challenge
and I overcame this by re-evaluating my choices and
continuing to stay focused. Overall, I am thankful for this
lockdown experience as it taught me a lot and I doubtlessly
can say it changed me for the better.
Ramla Ali (year 12)
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