With the school and offices being closed yesterday and
today, we have declared, officially that it is a snow day. Yet the question remains whether or not snow
days actually exist for MEWA? The beauty
of an online education is that it is completed online. Unless the Internet goes out, which has
happened on occasion during a storm, classes are able to continue as
usual. There is no need for “make-up”
days to be added at the end of the school year because of snow, or wind, or
flooding. Students don’t suffer from not
being in class for a few days. They log
in to their course, learn what was planned for the day, and complete their homework
assignments as outlined in the syllabus.
Teachers benefit by not having to rearrange their pre-arranged lesson
plans for the course of the term. They
don’t have to worry about cutting one chapter lesson short in order to cram in
the missed lessons due to a snow day. An
online education means flexibility, in every sense of the word. Students experience flexibility in the way
they are taught, when they choose to learn, and how they choose to learn. Teachers experience flexibility in the fact
that they are not tied to one classroom each day; they are able to plan lessons
for the entire academic year without worrying about planning around spontaneous
days off.
So today is a snow day.
But is it really, a snow day? Our
MEWA students are able to continue their education without being in a
classroom. They can take a break from their
work and go outside whenever they want today.
Being an online student comes with an understanding that you, as an
individual, are responsible for your own education. This is true for junior high students all the
way to college students and beyond. It
is up to you to manage time efficiently so that you can take study breaks to
throw a snowball or two. The feeling of
satisfaction when you know you are on schedule, on track, and still able to
have fun is second to none.
MEWA students, enjoy today.
Continue learning both through coursework and through life experiences. We encourage you to study and work on homework
today, but we also want you to safely enjoy this snow day.
What are your thoughts on “snow days” for online students?
