Bobby is a sixth grader at North Brookfield Elementary School in western Massachusetts. He's crazy about the Loch Ness monster. He's into math and Minecraft. And he likes online learning.
"It's a lot easier to focus," he says. "I can be in my room and be a lot more comfortable doing stuff."
President Biden has said that his goal is to have the majority of K-8 schools operating in-person by the end of his first 100 days in office.
That's a welcome goal for the many parents who worry about their children falling behind while learning virtually during the coronavirus pandemic. But some are realizing that their children do better in online school. By most accounts, it's the case for students who focus better when they are not around classmates.
Bobby has ADHD and sometimes gets seizures. (NPR isn't using last names to protect students' privacy.) This means that the 11-year-old often needs to take breaks from class, whether it is because of a seizure or just because he wants to walk around the room to get some of his energy out. Even though he already had some accommodations when school was in-person, online learning makes it easier for him to accommodate his own needs.