KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — We met several Knox County students back in August when school officially started. Months later, we checked back in to see how things were going as they neared the end of their semesters.
"What does it feel like to do school on the computer?" Emily Clabough asked her kindergartner.
The student thought for a moment first and then he responded, saying it was going well. Clabough also has a daughter and a son in virtual learning.
We also caught up with students who are still in the classroom.
"We're learning something new each week," Kindall Colston said. "My favorite thing is learning to write paragraphs."
Colston is in the 4th grade at Sarah Moore Greene Academy.
The students officially started school about four months ago and some said there are some things they have been able to hold on to.
"My favorite part is recess," Dizeriya Ligon said.
Ani Gilpin who is a virtual learner explained some of the encore classes she participates in virtually.
"Music, PE, art, library or guidance or STEM," she said. "After lunch, we do some math and we are done at 2:10 p.m.
Lily Wilson is also a virtual learner. She said while some of the coursework is hard, there are some perks to staying home.
"You get to eat whenever you want and wear your pajamas," she said.
Without a doubt, they still think things are different. We asked them what is been the toughest part. Many of their answers revolved around the lack of interaction.
"Can I be honest?" Eli Clabough said. "Not getting to see everybody in person."
Lily agreed, along with several other students in school systems across the U.S.
"I don't like the part that we don't get to see our friends," she said.
The students also spoke of the difficulty that comes with technology and learning from home.
"It's okay ... Microsoft Teams is kind of glitchy," Eli said.
His sister also felt it made learning harder. She said she has been having a hard time using video conferencing software for her classes.
It has not been easy, these students said. However, they also said that whether they're learning in-person or virtual, along with their parents and teachers, they are trying to make it work.