Outside school courses not always helpful

SIL teacher Anthony Gonzales meets with one of his students. Distance or alternative learning courses are suitable for some students but can prove to be a hassle for most.

Since the beginning of recorded history, students have been trying to get out of as much in-class time as possible, but with a lack of alternatives to regular schooling, they had no choice in the matter. In more recent years, however, numerous alternatives to the classroom world are available.

Yet for most students, these alternatives are not superior to public school courses, and students should not attempt replacing too many of their classes with them.

Junior Kenny Moran said the courses he took with Stanford University’s Education Program for Gifted Youths (EPGY) were “easy” and “convenient.” However, Kenny also warns that the lack of face-to-face communication can be problematic.

This sentiment was echoed by student counselor Perla Pasallo.

“If you are confident in the subject, it can be a big timesaver, but the face-to-face is something that’s missing,” Pasallo said.

Yet incomplete curricula and limited teaching styles are often among only the least of worries for those who take online courses.

“Brigham Young University (BYU) [distance education] programs and some other online courses aren’t UC-approved,” Pasallo said. “You also have to worry about whether or not they segue into the next level of courses at the school, and they are expensive.”

As students try to pad their college resumés, students as young as sophomores have taken online courses. Sophomore Jasmine Xu took Algebra II through BYU and said that while the course was pretty easy, she wouldn’t recommend it to others because it was “not comprehensive enough.”

Online courses are not the only option for class outside of school, however. The School for Independent Learners (SIL) sits on San Antonio in between the Zyt Gallery and Sherwood Avenue, offers courses ranging from Calculus BC to Latin For Beginners.

Senior Michael Lynch, who takes Calculus BC at SIL, says the school is “kind of like a tutor but you actually do the work.” The issues associated with SIL are less about curriculum and lack of interaction and more about price.

Courses can range from $45 an hour for a four-student one-teacher lesson to $85 an hour for a one-on-one lesson. Michael said he wouldn’t recommend the class because of how much it costs.

Evidently, while the courses offered by BYU, EPGY and SIL can provide alternatives for strong students looking to get ahead, they are hardly a favorable option for the average student due to various issues such as pricing, lack of face-to-face time (in online classes) and incomprehensive curricula.