While Eiden is hooting happy about being enrolled into an online school, his mom isn’t so sure. The fact that he is likely to be in the AP classes doesn’t completely quell her doubts.
“Online schooling does not allow regular peer interaction,” she points out. “Kids miss out on an important life lesson. When you create an atmosphere at home to study in the most comfortable way, you deprive the kid of learning how to manage difficult situations. Will he be able to cope with the atmosphere in college?”

There are other drawbacks as well. While a regular classroom exposes a shy kid to ridicule and loss of self-esteem, it also provides opportunities to be praised in public. A home-schooler loses the invaluable prize of being praised in front of his peers for a gem of an answer or a brilliant presentation. Will the words “That’s an awesome answer, Sammy!” ring in his ears?

Well, online schools are not for all kids. Here a lot of personal responsibility is expected when the student chooses his own pace. When both parents go to work, it is not possible for them the amount of supervision needed to keep the kid on on even keel.

Also, will he get to meet friends periodically? Won’t he miss seeing them? How about PE, an absolute necessity for an adolescent?

Most of the material sent online is in text form. What if the kid prefers learning through listening? Is that choice available though it is technically feasible? And if at some point he decides to return to a physical school, can such a transition be made easily?

Eiden just pooh-poohs these objections. He says he’s happy he doesn’t need to meet the bullies in school again. And there are home-schoolers’ associations that meet regularly. “Think of the things I can do in my spare time!” he says. “Not socialising is a small price to pay for it.”