Construction disrupting the learning environment in Spanish classrooms

Spanish classrooms that lie directly next to the construction of the gym face many noise disruptions during lessons. Construction of the new gym is supposed to last until fall of 2020. Photo by Linnea Wee

Josie Collier

Executive Features Editor

The demolition of the old gym began over winter break and will continue until the fall of 2020.The reconstruction of Mira Costa Fisher Gym affects the learning environment for all Spanish classrooms located adjacent to the construction site. The Spanish teachers and students received zero accommodation from administration for the loud, disruptive noises that are a result of construction. This is unfair to students trying to learn, and teachers trying to teach in the unreasonably loud environment.

The deafening noises and loud reverberations constantly disrupt lessons because teachers have to frequently pause their lecture and wait for the noise to cease, according to junior spanish student Natalie Rebenkoff. It is inconvenient that students and teachers have to tolerate the noise at the expense of construction. During school hours learning should be the priority not construction.

While jackhammers are being used on the construction site, it sends noise vibrations through the floors to the Spanish buildings. The shaking is so excessive that students fear objects will fall down from the ceiling or wall, and students need to be reassured that nothing will fall, according to spanish teacher Kimberly Romero. Feeling safe should be the least of the concerns while in class and construction obstructs that, so it is essential that administration constructs a plan to reduce the noise vibrations.

The construction does not only affect the teachers, but also the students attempting to concentrate during lessons or tests. Whenever the noises start students become distracted, Rebenkoff said. During test days students also find it difficult to focus on the essentials for a Spanish test, Rebenkoff said. Construction should not be a prominent reason for precious class time lost because the gym and learning environment should in no way affecting each other.

During a Spanish department meeting prior to construction principal Dr. Ben Dale notified the teachers about the inevitable distracting noises that would be present during school hours. Dale and the teachers discussed how the noises would affect students when they took tests or quizzes. Additionally, the teachers were told that there is not a place to relocate students on testing days, and that they had to do the best they could, according to Romero. There are many accomodations made for schedule changes to minimize the amount of time lost in class on assembly days, but there has been no changes made to stop the interruptions during normal class time throughout the year.

A simple solution to the troublesome noises and vibrations is to require that the employees on site lower the settings or halt their progress, on the high-powered equipment, to lessen the intensity of the vibrations affecting the students. If high-powered machinery is a necessity, then it would benefit the students and teachers if employees would resume the high intensity work after 3 p.m. Other solutions to the situation include providing disposable earplugs to students on testing days or shortening the work periods during school hours to mitigate the noise produced. In all, there are practical solutions to reduce noise and distractions in the classroom, which should be considered by administration if they wish to produce the best academic environment for their students.