Imagine going to school to find yourself struggling in rigorous classes facing long-term stress when instead you could simply take it slow at your own pace and learn at home. Distance learning has been a new program schools nation-wide have been offering for children who prefer to learn online or through video conferences. I believe schools have made the right decision to make distance learning possible for those who struggle in public or private school or are too busy to attend schools. Therefore, every child will have an equal opportunity to learn regardless of their ability to attend school.

A famous YouTube star, Desiree, has explained her situation regarding online school in one of her most recent videos. When she initially went viral, she was still enrolled in public school and participated in sports. Desiree makes content based off of cosmetics, makeup, and clothing. Her YouTube career had begun before she knew it and she was more than ecstatic to start producing more content and spend more time on her job. Still being a Sophomore in high school however, was an ultimate drawback in her plans. Desiree still had to attend school and she found herself struggling to produce content whilst being enrolled in school seven hours a day. Desiree was fortunate enough to explain how she had found online schooling to support her educational needs while having plenty of time to pursue her YouTube career. She begins her school work early in the morning and finishes around noon while she has the rest of the day to make videos, promote growing businesses, and sell her merchandise. Desiree admits that online schooling has made her life much easier and less stressful.

According to statistics, one out of four children get bullied in a school facility and one out of three students suffer from social anxiety. This results in children having a low self-esteem, low academic abilities, and severe mental trauma. Children who get bullied oftentimes don't return to school and take long absences to prevent encountering their bullies. These children suffer on a day to day basis and cannot perform to their fullest abilities due to environmental dangers. Almost all of these students can perform academic excellence when given the opportunity to experience distance learning. They would feel more confident, interested, and comfortable when they aren't surrounded by people that put them down. Children who suffer from social anxiety feel uncomfortable and stressed when placed in new environments. Eliminating these factors by being placed in a familiar setting can make them feel far more comfortable in their academic performance. This is known as context effects. Students who are being tested in a familiar area perform better than those who are unfamiliar with their settings. On the other hand, school facilities have difficult instructors that fail to educate children appropriately. These instructors could be hard to approach and don't help students learn material efficiently. In distance learning, instructors are better suited for children that learn at their own pace.

Many could argue that distance learning has more disadvantages than advantages. A disadvantage could be taking away a student's ability to form relationships with others. Online school could potentially cut off a child's access to the outside world, making them feel somewhat trapped. Students could also miss out on opportunities and scholarships if they were to not attend school facilities anymore. Another concern is that students would be most likely to slack off when they learn at home because they're more prone to take advantage of their familiar settings. However, a child has numerous opportunities to get involved in activities outside home to create friendships and bonds. Taking part in clubs or sports, children could find themselves feeling satisfied with their connections to the outside world. Distance learning doesn't eliminate communication with others in general, it just gives them less of an opportunity. Students also have options to earn scholarships if they were to prove academic excellence or excellence in sports regardless of distance learning. It's a fair possibility children could take advantage of online schooling when they are placed in familiar settings but it could also benefit their performance and skill levels.

Distance learning should be available to a child if they cannot manage both education and a career, if school facilities decrease their performance, and if students find it easier to learn at their own pace. There's various amounts of advantages when it comes to distance learning and very limited disadvantages. Academic excellence should be the number one priority when it comes to a child's education. Having the option to learn on their own pace and feel comfortable should be available to almost any child that needs it. 