The green light flashes beside the Chromebook’s camera, and suddenly, the screen pops up, projecting a group of students and the smiling cartoon profile of the Pre-Calculus Honors teacher. Ms. Hong turns on her camera to greet them good morning with the same smile, as they nod their head and greet her as well. 

Despite the circumstances of distance-learning, Ms. Hong never fails to make all her students feel included in her class. Whether it involves greeting them, calling on them, or joking about them, she acknowledges each student. Although there is no longer a physical classroom, she has the help of her projector to display writing in her large, cursive font that students will occasionally ask what it reads. Ms. Hong proceeds with the class as if it is her usual whiteboard in her classroom on campus. Patiently, she wants her students to catch up with her and ensures that each one is undoubtedly learning in her class by requesting the submission of their notes in each class. 

Holding up to the high expectations of Pre-Calculus Honors, she reminds her students to demonstrate high caliber and regularly participate in class. To discourage any possibility of cheating with the advent of new freedom from test-taking at the safe sanctuary of our own homes, she implements her own challenging equations on exams with the reasonable time an honors student would require to solve. 

Her classes often begin with a simple update to ease the stressed environment of online school. Although she may not receive a response due to the function of the mute feature on Google Meets, she carries on with her soliloquy before diving into the day’s lesson. Another approach she takes to settle the mood of her class is to bring in humor from time to time. One can find her students chuckling with bright smiles after she teases a student or during her life update. As a result, each student relaxes their online school anxiety and lets down their guard for a productive class to come. Some might even dare say they feel no anxiety in unmuting their mics to initiate conversation in Pre-Calculus Honors due to the classroom comfortability. While she ensures that her classes feel comfortable and that her relationship with her students is open, Ms. Hong easily maintains the atmosphere of a professional teacher. Her students feel safe within her class, comfortable enough to participate, along with carrying enough trust that they will be prepared for the weekly quiz every Monday. 

Although not physically, the doors are always open to her office hours for a sincere one-to-one questionnaire. Her office hours are full of dedicated students who come ready with questions regarding, but not limited to, lessons, schedules, assessments, and even mundane questions about life. With dedication and care, Ms. Hong is able to thoughtfully give an answer to clear any confusion. Whether the student hopes to find more guidance in the subject, albeit, for guidance in high school, Ms. Hong provides careful advice to any inquiry. Without a shadow of a doubt, Ms. Hong demonstrates the true means behind having a genuine student-teacher relationship.