Many people instinctively assume that one teaching approach is preferable to the other due to changes in how children are educated. For the past year, parents and children have been forced to choose between going to school and remaining at home due to the outbreak. Studying in person, rather than online is more beneficial and less distracting in my opinion. My preferred educational setting is a traditional, in school setting.

First, let me confidently say that you can obtain a lot more peaceful sleep when you learn virtually. I believe this was a key factor in my decision to take my second semester of school online; however, sitting in front of a computer all day is mind-numbingly boring.

In-school courses can be highly efficient, but it requires organization and self-motivation, as it is very easy to become distracted and stop studying with thousands of distractions just clicks away. When a student walks onto campus, there isn’t much to keep them from doing the work they need to do in class. Your teachers will monitor your performance at school to ensure that you are doing your job and staying on track. If you are concerned about your child’s safety, know that most schools conduct weekly testing, that students wear masks, and that schools close for a week if cases become too severe. To put it another way, you pay for the convenience of studying from home by becoming organized.

Another advantage of in-person learning opposed to online learning is that you have access to an instructor who can help you. When I needed help with my work at home, I had to go into the chat room and wait for the instructor to answer, and, sometimes, the teachers didn’t see my questions. However, if I asked a question in-person, I could raise my hand and benefit from the immediate response. I am not the only student who feels this way; Andrew Park, a junior at Lambert High School, feels the same way.

“Personally, having no teacher around blows,” Park says. “I hate just sitting around waiting for a response. I get distracted while waiting and I just play games in the end.” 

In summary, from an academia perspective, in-person is preferable. I obviously get less sleep on an in-person schedule, but I believe that for the sake of studying and maintaining good grades, in-person is far superior than the virtual alternative.