.gif)
In-person vs online education Many people have questions about the feasibility of moving their school-aged students from the traditional, in-person (brick & mortar) school experience to an online, homeschool experience. Having taught in both environments, I will endeavor here to compare the two as clearly as possible.
The in-person experience (brick & mortar) school, which is how most people have been educated, offers more physical and academic social interaction among students and staff. Students with needs requiring individual supervision and adultdriven motivation and stability will be more likely to have their educational needs met in this traditional setting. The extra services offered by in-person schools like meals, basic health checks, school supplies and inperson counseling are invaluable to more socio economically challenged students or students with certain other needs which must be provided on a one-onone basis.
Historical and ever-growing problems connected to inperson school settings include bullying, safety from outside intruders, academic distractions created from discipline incidents, inconsistent curriculum from class to class and delayed grade reporting, usually limited to 3-week intervals.
Students also require daily transportation to and from in-person schools; plus, extra transport if they become ill and must leave within the school day which can pull parents unexpectedly from their job place.
Students using school provided transport are required to report, even in inclement weather, to their district designated pickup and drop-off locations which can require some students to wait in the dark along roadways. There are often discipline incidences occurring on school provided transport as well.
Online public schools offer students state approved curriculum that can be accessed 7 days a week 24 hours a day allowing students to attend activities or training or have a job that occur during traditional school hours. Many student gymnasts, ball players, equestrians, artists, musicians for example attend online schools. The flexible hours allow them to go to practices or specialized art and music schools during the day, leaving time outside regular school hours to complete their regular coursework.
Students who might be more introverted, less socially well placed, have special physical, health or emotional needs can remain in the safety and comfort of their homes rather than daily facing an environment that can often be very hostile to them.
Online schools do provide counseling and accommodation services as required by the state as do regular in-person schools. Online schools do require more individualized attention from teachers via phone, text and live or recorded Zoom-type sessions. Families do have to adjust to being contacted on a regular basis by teachers for tutoring, Q&A, touch base updates and extra credit.
Online schools do allow students to complete class work at their own pace typically faster than is scheduled based on their class load and curriculum. Parents also get real-time feedback with constant lesson completion progress, assignment-grades earned and overall average updates.
Students who lack motivation regarding academics, who are easily distracted, lack the maturity to self- govern and/or are left on their own during the day while their adults go to work, can flounder, and fail in an online school setting. Students are required to be self-motivated and self-disciplined enough to see to their studies without constant direction or re-direction from an adult.
Online schools also require a computer and reliable, consistent internet access. Cell phones alone will not work with all the applications provided by various online schools.
Some of the most common questions about online schooling are regarding students’ socialization. Students who attend online schools can participate in the sports, clubs, band, and other extra-curricular activities provided by their local in-person school for which they are zoned. (Afterall, property taxes are being paid to that local school district whether a student attends there or not.) Students must fill out applications, pay fees and try-out just like students who attend the in-person school. Online students cannot be barred from participation in these clubs or teams simply because they do not attend their locally zoned school in person.
For required state and college entrance or Advanced Placement testing, online students will either test at a location provided by their online school or provided by their locally zoned school.
Only families and students can choose what is best for them based on their unique situations. I hope this article has been helpful to families choosing what will work best for their student to reach academic success.
Colleen Walker - Columbus
Texas Connections Academy - Houston Secondary School Instructor
