SAN JOSE, CALIF.— During the 2021-2022 school year, Adrian Caesar had to start off his first year of teaching at Silver Creek online. Although it was a rough time during distance learning, he’s grown to really miss the previous school year, having a hard time adjusting to the new in-person year. 

Caesar’s first year at Silver Creek was just last year, making this his first year teaching on campus. This has made it difficult for him to adjust to the in-person environment but also has brought him closer to his students. “The environment is totally different. The vibe is really weird. I felt like because we all had one problem we all faced together, we all have this unique bond with everyone in this weird way, and I’ve never felt so similar to my students.” 

Although he does enjoy seeing new faces and meeting the old ones he’s spoken to online,  Caesar does miss the online chats he would have with students. “I don’t really know how to talk with kids. Overall, participation is different because kids liked to chat since it was similar to texting but now since we can’t do that it’s very dull.” He explains, “I definitely miss my students. I really wish I had a lot of them back. I feel like I had a certain bond with the kids from last year talking over Zoom. It does suck knowing that I’ll never get that experience with them.”

Along with teaching, he’s had mixed responses with the way his classroom is going to run this year. “It’s a lot of little things I’m not used to, having to remind kids to write their names on papers or how to pass up worksheets.” The barrier between online and in-person has overall changed the way a classroom runs now, making his classroom no exception. He states, “I just feel like us as teachers are so stressed out right now mentally, that we’re not sure what we’re supposed to do… but we do it anyway! We’re trying.”

As a hard-working teacher, Caesar has made his classroom as welcoming as it can be by incorporating his own twists on learning. From “The Office” to anime episodes and clips, he finds new ways to teach his students and bring out the best in them. “I love using quotes from The Office so kids get an idea of what the real world looks like. It’s always really relevant to what we’re doing and anime is just a good visual way for kids to get imagery.”

Caesar’s openness is inspiring, as he shows students and teachers are not too different during this big transition back into a life of being in-person.