Staff Writer: Julia Xia
With the sudden return to in-person classes, many students and teachers are wondering which style of learning is better: online school or in-person school. Many people choose online because it’s the safer of the two. Though in the end, it truly does come down to personal preference, there are many logical reasons behind why one might be better.
One of the advantages of online school is that students have more freedom than in in-person school. With that freedom, students can stay in touch with their friends, learn new hobbies, and spend time with parents. Another reason why students might enjoy online classes is that many of them find it more comfortable doing school in their own bedrooms, and not having to talk as much. They might just like having to socialize. Students are able to learn at their own pace since they have so much time on their hands. The last reason why online school can be good for kids is because kids with disabilities might find it easier to work online then in a school setting.
However, there are also many disadvantages to online instruction. It is difficult to stay motivated when you’re in your bedroom all day. Many kids see their bedroom as a place to relax, sleep, or just be lazy. When you expect them to start using that space for school work, they can get easily distracted and fall behind. For many students, the temptation to cheat was great. When you’re taking tests, or are just doing classwork, it’s really easy to just click on a new tab and find the answers. Not only was it easy, but there was no way teachers could monitor them. It was impossible to do extracurriculars, since we were online and everything was closed. Most students weren’t able to participate in their clubs or sports.
During in-person school you are able to receive one-on-one help with your teachers. For example, you can easily stay after class to talk with them, which is significantly easier than writing them an email and hoping that they respond. Another positive about in person school is that since you’re in an environment that is geared toward productivity, it’s easier to get work done and stay focused. Finally, in person school is just more effective at helping students increase their critical thinking skills, social skills, and self discipline. If it’s safe to do so, I would personally choose to stay in person since I’m naturally a more social person. I work better in an environment where there are a lot of people and I feel more productive in a school environment. If it’s safe to do so, I would personally choose to stay in person since I’m naturally a more social person. I work better in an environment where there are a lot of people and I feel more productive in a school environment.
Many students might lean more towards online, instead of in-person because some kids are just more independent and don’t like, or can’t handle social interactions. It can be hard for students to sit still for long periods of time; and when they’re at home, they have the ability to get up and stretch their legs. The last issue with in-person is that it isn’t as flexible as online was. Teachers have to follow a strict regimen, and if they don’t complete what they wanted to do that day, then they fall behind.
At the end of the day it all comes down to a person’s preference. Some people just prefer to work in the comfort of their rooms while others like going to school and being surrounded by people. Whether schools in-person or online it’s each students own responsibility to learn what their learning style is so they can achieve their education.
