The one thing almost all freshmen and sophomores at WESS have in common is that we have to bear the burden of taking the Algebra 2 Regents, and now without most of March and April as prep time. It is most essential to retain everything previously learned in Algebra 2 and to keep up with the curriculum independently in this critical time. Due to the closing of schools because of the virus, the city has instituted online school, which will be up and running the week of March 23rd. However, even online schooling may not be enough to keep up with the course and skill requirements since student-teacher interaction is limited. 

Since the College Board is an international company, the exams they run, such as APs and SATs and SAT IIs,  will most likely not accommodate the needs of NYC students in particular. Regents, however, are a concern for New York students who are missing a full month (or more) of in-person prep. The difference between the two is that Regents are state mandated. As a NYC public school student, I believe the Regents exams should be moved or postponed. Since NY state administers the exam and they were the ones who decided to close NYC schools, it makes sense that they should alter the Regents. 

However, in the unfortunate possibility that the state won’t be moving it (as it is probably the least of their concerns) here are a couple ways to keep up with the course as if coronavirus hasn’t actually closed hundreds of schools:

• Khan Academy

Khan Academy is probably one of the most annoying websites that teachers could possibly assign because of how tedious every lesson is. Videos are generally long and longer than the average informative video that can be found on YouTube. However, in the state of emergency where physical lessons and classes are unavailable, the detailed explanations, lessons, and videos that Khan Academy provides are ideal and completely necessary for this particular circumstance. Khan Academy has lessons on every unit in Algebra 2 and it’s completely free which makes it much more accessible than paying for a personal tutor, while abiding by the concept of social distancing during this time when interacting with other people (such as a tutor) is probably not in your best interest.

• Math Planet

Math planet offers all U.S. math high school courses as well as preparation for the math section of the SAT. The entirety of the Algebra 2 course is free and accessible online. Both Khan Academy and Math Planet are generally similar because they both provide all of Algebra 2’s course and curriculum but they are just formatted differently and one can choose the best option for them and their studying needs.

• Photomath

Photomath has gotten a bad rep over the years solely because students use it to cheat on their tests or homework. However, what teachers fail to realize is that unlike Mathway or other math websites that help solve problems, you don’t need to sign up to view the steps to get to a solution. Photomath shows every step and has personally helped me learn algebraic concepts that don’t need detailed explanation. It is quick and easy to use and is even available as a SnapChat filter so it is accessible for most.

• YouTube

Finally, YouTube is probably the best resource to use when trying to learn a mathematical concept and this is why: YouTube videos, though they may not be as interactive as a class or lesson, are not that long (5-10 minutes) and hearing another person or teacher explain a concept versus reading it off a textbook or website can do wonders for the comprehension abilities of the student. The video will go step by step and if one teacher doesn’t explain the concept or problem in a way that the student can understand, there are thousands of other videos to choose from which is the beauty of YouTube.

There is no excuse to avoid Algebra 2 over the next month of quarantine and social distancing. Math is one of, if not the most, objective subject in school, and it is the same in every city and every country. It is also the most accessible subject so the best way to study is to use all the resources available and to practice as much as possible especially with all the time given. We are trapped in our homes with our phones and laptops, so if you’re not using this time to learn and take initiative of your own academic progress, the virus, teachers, and schools are not to blame.