School is a place where children go to learn and grow, not only intellectually, but also personally. I have many fond memories of creating long lasting relationships and discovering who I am as an individual. Most of this is due to the community aspect that school has. If I had been told that my education would be taught to me through the screen on a computer, I would've missed out on a plethora of different and meaningful experiences, become socially inept, and may have never seen the person that I now strive to become. These are all reasons why distance learning is not only a bad choice of education, but also that it can be harmful in the growth process of our youth.

Communication is a large part of life. Perhaps you are being interviewed for a new job, or maybe you're giving a lecture at a Socratic seminar. Whatever the reason may be, social communication is a very important skill to have; and while this skill may come easy to some, for us introverts it can be a rather daunting task. As a child I was very shy and tended to cling towards my mother at any social event I would attend in order to avoid the other children. My mother never forced me to, so I saw nothing wrong with staying by her side instead as it is what I was comfortable with. It wasn't until my first year of grade school that I would be pushed into interacting with others without the sight of my mother. I had spent so many years avoiding others that I found it very difficult to be social with other kids. By the time Middle School came however, I had gotten quite use to being around other children and could present myself properly in a social space. However other students did not have that luxury. As the sixth grade started, I was introduced the first home schooled child I had ever seen. Due to her being home schooled, she didn't spend much time with other kids her own age. Because of this, she often didn't relate well to others and could never pick up on normal social ques. As the years went on and she continued to be taught in public school, she did in fact become a lot more social and gained a group of very close friends, myself included, but the point still stands that if either of us had stayed to ourselves and had never been put into a social environment at that young age, then we would've never learned how to properly conduct ourselves in society. This is a major issue with distance learning; if everything is done at home, then kids will never have that push to be more social.

Currently the world is becoming more technologically advanced and most careers have adapted this new wave of advancements. It can be said that the computer focused aspect of distance learning will better prepare students for jobs such as these. However, what if a child doesn't want these careers and strive for something more personal to them and just don't know it yet? Careers such as and artist or a musician. Skills that can't simply be taught through a screen and involve a more hands on approach. Schools not only provide but encourage all students to partake in a variety of different clubs and extracurricular activities in order for each student to discover their own passion. Some may argue that students have the ability to do these activities on their own time if they desire to do so. I argue that need to be aware of that their options are in order to branch out to do those things and schools give children that push to try out these new things and change them to their own liking. Children wont simply do things because they exist, they need a push to try new things, and schools offer that by having individuals that share a passion for something show it off in amazing ways. Ways such as concerts, recitals, or showcases for the arts. Being exposed to things allow students to grow a fondness for them and venture out of their comfort zone; something that distance learning is not able to do.

Distance learning is a very wonderful concept when it comes to how we teach children. It allows student to be more comfortable and work by their own schedule for the most part. The fact that technology has become such a common aspect of life that children are able to be taught in this way is an achievement in itself. However, simply because something can be done, does not mean it should be. We should not rely on technology for childrens' education due to the fact that it may be psychologically damaging for the youth. I've said how school has helped me develop long lasting relationship by putting my in a space where being social was somewhat mandatory. Some people on the side of distance learning would argue that having relationships like that are monogamist and not a necessary need, however that is completely false. We as a species are very passionate and thrive off of compassion. Studies have shown that this current generation is statistically the most depressed it has ever been. Connecting studies show that this is due to majority of millennials feeling lonely due to the inability to communicate properly with others. This is due to the over usage of technology to communicate rather than face to face interaction. Most people when asked when they have talked to others in person answer with either in school or in a place of business. We can't revert the effects technology has had on society but we can surely stop it from getting worse. Implementing distance learning would only cut off a form students from getting an already stagnant amount of social reaction that is needed. Thus leading us to an even more depressed society.

While in concept the idea of distance learning is great, through execution is where it fails. Distance learning causes much more harm than it does good by creating lost, socially inept individuals, along with furthering the growth of a future filled with depression. Schools simply offer more, allowing kids to find themselves and develop in a much more positive environment.