Independent study has recently become more popular with San Luis Obispo High School students. Independent study is learning, not in a group setting, but still guided by a teacher. It is normal for students who are falling behind, gifted, prefer an independent learning system, or needed due to health problems.

   “Independent study is for students who have activities that keep them from being in the general classroom like to come and do Independent study. Another reason why students come and do Independent study is because of the stressors of school. They might have situations at home or personal issues that keep them from doing well in a classroom,” said independent study teacher John Spalding.  

   Lately, students have been flocking to this alternative learning. Independent study can be effective for the students that need it, but is fit for anyone?

   The hard part of questioning who and who doesn’t need Independent study is that no one can really know until the student has been in the program for some time. Students see the opportunity to not have to deal with the group setting and have a personalized learning experience, these differences have been enough to create a trend. This trend can be dangerous to public school, which is quickly becoming wildly unpopular. However Independent study is better than pulling out students of the education system completely and placing them in a homeschool program.

  Public school, even though the group setting can be difficult at times, teaches students how to deal with people, work in groups, become self-sufficient, and how to operate within the real world. The trend of Independent study is teaching students antisocialism, a “the world orbits around you” attitude, and that they get what they want. “I feel like Independent study is something for students who need it, and that not a permanent thing, sometimes students need it for a year, or a trimester. There’s an idea that you don’t want students to rely just on Independent study only but get back to the regular classroom. I always tell my students that all those stressors in life are always gonna be out there, and they shouldn’t say that, “Oh I am just going to completely hide away and avoid them,” because when they go out and get a job they’re going to have bosses that they don’t get along with, and people that they work with that  are difficult, and you gotta be ready for that,” said Spalding.

Source: California Department of Education