Complete Coverage

Face Time

With online schools growing, it's time to reevaluate face-to-face contact.

I love listening to teachers talk about “reading students’ faces.” Good educators do just that to see whether students are really grasping a concept or whether their faces are full of confusion. More important, they use those face-to-face interactions to form personal connections. A teacher who fits a face to a name is likely to be more committed to that student.

The proliferation of online schools is now challenging that assumption. The trend also raises a question: Is some amount of in-person interaction between online teachers and their students really necessary?

Based on recent conversations I’ve had with online teachers, as well as with educators who work in traditional classroom settings, I’d have to say yes. Experienced teachers—even those who have moved from traditional classrooms to online instruction—will tell you that face-to-face interactions are vital to...