As a huge snow storm threatens the northeast, many children will be going to bed tonight having flushed ice cubes down the toilet and wearing their pajamas inside out. They will dream of snowman, sledding, and snowball fights that typically accompany snow days. Upon waking up, they will run to the television to eagerly await the announcement of their school’s closing on the local news.
The feeling when one sees that their school is closed is unrivaled. However, snow days are beginning to lose their excitement as schools are turning toward technology to help combat inclement weather. Previously, the only thing that could get in the way of a kid’s snow day was the dreaded plow man, however now technology is creating a even greater threat to snow days.
There is still hope, as an article from the Atlantic Journal Constitution points out. This scenario is not quite reality as the students in many school districts do not have the necessary internet access to run the various on-line educational programs. Technology is bound to catch up and eventually every household will have the necessary technology to run these programs, ending the snow day as we know it. But, is this a good thing for our youth?
Many argue that this is a great thing for American education. For the most part, I agree. In my opinion, the problem with online classes only arise when it is used for extended periods of time. I believe that in person face to face interaction with teachers and other peers cannot be replicated in some online software. The software will not engage the students in the same way as the classroom setting. The long breaks due to inclement weather deprive students a of this experience, affecting their understanding of the material. While this is a problem, it only will surface in circumstances where students have to miss extended periods of school. It is a great tool to bridge a few days of missed class, but it cannot replace the traditional schooling methods. I guess this is one case where the traditional beats the technological.