When we think of school, most often we end up just picturing a huge of pile of textbooks waiting to be crammed up. But, have you ever thought that maybe those basketball mornings or theatre practice sessions were equally important?
Whether you are a parent or a student, this is an important aspect of school life which needs to be understood and shouldn’t be taken for granted or ignored.
Firstly, let’s understand what exactly are ‘extracurricular activities’. Activities which are beyond the scope of the regular curriculum are known as ‘extracurricular activities’. Now, this doesn’t mean that those weekend play sessions count as an extracurricular too! On the other hand, when you set aside a ‘committed’ time slot to pursue certain activities such as painting, sports or debating etc, that’s when it really counts as an ‘extracurricular activity’.
But, why are they so important for a child? Why is it so important to invest time in extracurricular activities?. Read on to know why.
1) Development of time-management skills
When a student is involved in a club or a team, they might need to dedicate a certain number of hours for it during the day, so eventually, he/she learns how to plan and balance academics and other activities. The tendency to procrastinate and resort to laziness will significantly go down.
2) Opens opportunities for higher studies abroad
In most UK and US universities, almost 30% of the application counts for extracurricular activities and leadership skills. So, when they notice that a student has exceeded in areas beyond his scope of study, extra points are given for the same.
3) Adds value to the resume
Even later when one starts building their career (but has no work experience), employers look for people who have been involved in extracurricular activities. It gives them a fair idea about the person’s work ethics and innate abilities like leadership qualities, multitasking skills etc. Moreover, it helps both parties to identify which role might be actually best suited in the organization.
4) Stimulates the brain and improves academic performance
While we might think that getting involved in extracurricular activities might affect the grades, studies have actually proven it to be the other way round. According to studies, when students spend time in activities (especially high endurance tasks), their brain activity increases, hence improving their concentration and focus on academics.
5) Improves life skills
When students spend time pursuing extracurricular activities, they are mostly a part of clubs or teams within the school. Working with other people help them to learn new and useful skills such as teamwork and better social skills. On a personal level, it really helps them improve their critical thinking, self-esteem etc.
On the whole, taking part in extracurricular activities really shapes up the overall growth of a child. Which is why, Excelsior American School has set up a state-of-the-art infrastructure with well-planned indoor and outdoor courts for various activities like basketball, cricket, squash, swimming, dance etc. Moreover, Excelsior’s motto being “self-inspired learning”, it boosts the spirit of participation and learning amongst students. Even the classroom methodologies are modelled in a very practical way such that every kid gets to think and pursue activities which helps them to grasp knowledge in a better way.
If you believe your child deserves to grow up to be a strong, independent and knowledgeable individual, let him/her take a leap of faith and find their passion.
