If you're interested in earning your massage therapy certification, you may be asked to take online courses. While once fairly rare, online massage therapy classes are becoming more common all the time, and they may be a necessity for you to complete your training. Due to the decidedly hands-on nature of massage, it may seem counterintuitive to learn how to become a massage therapist with online instruction, but it does have its advantages. Here are some of the pros and cons you can expect with online classes at a massage therapy school in Baltimore, MD.
Pro: It's Convenient
Perhaps the most obvious reason to take an online massage therapy class is the convenience of never having to leave your home. You don't have to drive to school and find parking, and you can take your online classes whenever you'd like. If the massage therapy school that you'd like to attend requires you to commute or even relocate, then taking as many classes online as possible is going to be a far preferable option.
Con: A Lack of Feedback
When you take classes in person, the instructor is right there working with you. They can offer you instructions which you will then attempt on your own. If you're doing something wrong, the massage therapy instructor will know immediately, and they can assist you with making the necessary corrections. You won't get this kind of instant feedback with an online course.
Pro: Work at Your Own Pace
Not only can you take your online courses whenever you want, but you can complete them whenever you want as well. This allows for the possibility of interruptions, so you don't have to put aside several hours in succession the way you would with a live course. It's also greatly beneficial if you need to go back to review older material. If there's something that's confusing or unclear to you, you can revisit older lessons. Learning in this fashion can simply become a part of your routine. You can take your classes according to your own schedule without having to worry about time constraints.
Con: A Lack of Group Energy
A lot of students enjoy being a part of a community. When you receive instruction from a teacher at the same time as several other classmates, it can have a motivating effect. Their passion for learning can rub off on you and help you stay focused even when you're feeling a little tired and out of sorts. The presence of others in a live, in-person, setting exposes you to additional instruction as well. Classmates may ask questions and receive lessons that you wouldn't have experienced if you were only online.
Are Online Classes Right for You?
Whether you embrace the online format for massage therapy classes or not is a matter of personal preference. Even if taking online classes isn't your preferred method of education, you can rest assured that all massage therapy classes require some in-person training, and you might discover you enjoy the online courses more than you thought you would.
When you're ready to enroll in a licensed massage therapist school in Baltimore, MD, reach out to Cortiva Institute Massage Therapy & Skin Care School. We offer both online courses and classes on-site at our Linthicum Heights campus. Call us today at (410) 636-7929.