In most schools and educational institutions, extracurricular activities are offered to the students, where they are not only taught on the subjects that they need to learn, but also other things that are outside their curriculum. These activities are offered by these institutions as a way to promote a balanced life among their students, where in some schools, students are even required to have at least one extracurricular activity that they can be involved in. But while these activities are included in school programs for a good purpose, there are issues concerning the subject that is important to keep in mind as well. Here are the pros and cons of extracurricular activities:
List of Pros of Extracurricular Activities
1. They give students the chance to explore their interests.
As institutions offer a diverse range of activities for students to choose from, they will be able to go for one that allows them to learn more about their interests. These activities can also mold them to excel on those interests.
2. They help teach students the important trait of being responsible.
Because extracurricular activities are performed together with their studies, students will be encouraged to find the time to properly schedule things to be able learn their subjects effectively and then enjoy the activities that they want to do, thus teaching responsibility. The process would include self-discipline, focus and time management.
3. They increase the chance for students to be accepted in a particular university.
As most universities now require extracurricular activities, these programs are of course a primary factor to consider to be accepted in these institutions. This means that students would be better to start engaging in these activities early on to easily get to college.
List of Cons of Extracurricular Activities
1. They can add pressure on the students.
For some students, it would be difficult to deal with multiple activities in one day, which would cause them to concentrate on only one and fail on others. Aside from this, it will add more pressure that students have to endure when attending school. If they cannot manage it properly, their learning will certainly be affected.
2. They can take away the time students should have spent for their families.
Critics say that extracurricular activities have decreased closeness within a family, considering that students have to spend more time on their studies and interest, instead of their families.
3. They can put learning at risk due to tiredness.
If a student has to deal with more activities, then they would normally get tired, making them less motivated to study.
Student life can be improved in a lot of different ways, and the idea of adding extracurricular activities in school programs is one of them. In essence, these activities can provide them with the opportunity to be engaged with other groups. But before we require students to take part in these activities, it is important to know what we can expect from them and be aware of the drawbacks that come with them.
Brandon Miller has a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin. He is a seasoned writer who has written over one hundred articles, which have been read by over 500,000 people. If you have any comments or concerns about this blog post, then please contact the Green Garage team here.