Curricular and Extracurricular Activities: The Right Combination
As local school budgets and state education departments continue to pare down during economic hard and uncertain times, we would do well to remind ourselves and the ultimate decision-makers that extracurricular programs are just as crucial to student learning and growth as are curricular components. The proper nurturing of creative, artistic, and physical talents is very much important for the overall (whole) development of school age youth. However, the gradual elimination of arts, music, and physical education programs reflects a trend in educational priorities that is truly contrary to the need to respond to a broad range of student interests and abilities. Smart management of young people's time spent inside and outside of the classroom requires support and collaboration from teachers, parents, administrators, and communities.
Achieving a workable balance between academic and not-so academic topics can help identify student strengths and interests in each of these spheres, and ensure that a more well-rounded educational experience is provided. A curriculum that overemphasizes the core classroom subjects such as math and science shortchanges those students whose true talents lie in areas such as creative and performing arts, vocal and instrumental music, sports, and vocational and technical fields. Collaboration across schools, communities, and professions can help to identify much needed resources and support for school programs that expose youth to curricular as well as extracurricular activities that allow them to explore, engage, and inquire about known and hidden areas of interest.
Achieving a workable balance between academic and not-so academic topics can help identify student strengths and interests in each of these spheres, and ensure that a more well-rounded educational experience is provided. A curriculum that overemphasizes the core classroom subjects such as math and science shortchanges those students whose true talents lie in areas such as creative and performing arts, vocal and instrumental music, sports, and vocational and technical fields. Collaboration across schools, communities, and professions can help to identify much needed resources and support for school programs that expose youth to curricular as well as extracurricular activities that allow them to explore, engage, and inquire about known and hidden areas of interest.
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