During the peak of the Pandemic, the world worked hard to keep schooling as normal as possible. This was a struggle, especially for students and teachers who tried to maintain a normal school life while in lock down. Online schooling proved to be effective for many members of the Triton community, so much so that many students opted to stay online when things moved back to in-person learning. Having this option is beneficial to many students’ mental health, and being able to participate in classes online is a good way for kids to take a mental health day without falling behind on their assignments.

Remote learning reduces social anxiety and may help students feel more confident in their interactions with their teachers. In an article written by Arizona State University titled “Can Students with Social Anxiety Benefit from Online School?”, they stated: “Education is not one size fits all.’ There are alternatives to traditional school whether a child is struggling academically, physically, or mentally. For students who experience social anxiety, an online school may be a viable option.”. Schools need to accommodate different needs if they want every student to have an optimized learning experience. Additionally, as the world is still in a pandemic,with new variations of the coronavirus and the unpredictable COVID numbers, online learning is still a necessity for us in the future. 

Not only are family members in the community falling sick, but the economic problems that came with the global shutdown have left many students with more responsibilities. Students may need to work, or care for family members so their parents can work. According to a New York Times article, “The increased flexibility of online learning has been especially important when students need to balance burdens like jobs or, right now, to care for themselves or relatives who have fallen ill.”. Students who have to care for a family member would benefit by being able to be at home with that family member, whether that is a young sibling or someone who is sick. It is easy to take a break during an online class, so a student could have their family member in the room with them, or they could check on them during or between classes.  

For some students, a conventional classroom is not how they learn best. Many kids benefit from a more flexible schedule even when not faced with a pandemic. According to the American Psychological Association, students are more motivated when they have options, and “In a recent study, researchers found that 18% of parents pointed to greater flexibility in a child’s schedule or way of learning as the biggest benefit or positive outcome related to remote learning.”. Students perform better when they are happier, and some students are happier to be at home, in a comfortable environment. As long as the student is doing well in their classes, they should have a flexible schedule if that is what they need.

Critics of online schooling might argue that students need to be exposed to the social aspect of schools, and that staying home to learn is not healthy for a child. Students interacting with students is an excellent way for them to form social skills and make friends, and it forms some life-long friendships. On the other side of things, tending to students online is an additional burden for teachers, who already have a full day’s worth of classes to teach.

However, by the time students reach high school, they have mostly developed the ability to make friends and interact socially. The same social interactions can happen outside of school. Additionally, students are more connected than ever with the use of social media and the ability to text and snapchat each other to stay in touch. At the end of the day school is about the student learning, and if a child prefers online learning and learns better that way, they should be able to have remote options for their classes. Teachers at Triton do work hard teaching their regular classes, but if we as a school want to take mental health seriously, students need to have options. Those options could be teachers simply opening up a zoom call while they teach, or hiring additional teachers to accommodate remote students. 

The case for remote schooling options is a strong one, and one that should be considered by Triton, and all high schools that want to provide flexibility and mental health options for their students. While some may believe that in-person learning is the healthiest and most effective method, if a student is both happier and more successful in their classes online, there is no reason that they shouldn’t have that option.

Works Cited:

Deming, David. “Online Learning Should Return to a Supporting Role.” New York

     Times, 9 Apr. 2020. New York Times, www.nytimes.com/2020/04/09/business/

     online-learning-virus.html?searchResultPosition=5. Accessed 3 Dec. 2021.

Vibe Team. “15 Benefits of Distance Learning for Students, Parents, and

     Teachers.” Vibe, vibe.us/blog/10-positive-aspects-to-distance-learning/.

     Accessed 3 Dec. 2021.

Abramson, Ashley. “Capturing the Benefits of Remote Learning.” American

     Psychological Foundation, Vol. 52, No. 6 ed., 1 Sept. 2021. American

     Psychological Association, www.apa.org/monitor/2021/09/

     cover-remote-learning. Accessed 3 Dec. 2021.

ASU Prep Digital. “Can Students with Social Anxiety Benefit from Online School?”

     ASU Prep Digital, Arizona State University, 8 Oct. 2019,

     www.asuprepdigital.org/

     can-students-with-social-anxiety-benefit-from-online-school/. Accessed 6

     Dec. 2021.