Along with studying and completing the curriculum, participation in co-curricular activities is very important for effective education and proper growth and development of the students. Any form of extracurricular activity not only improves the health condition of the students but also improves their academic growth and results.
There are several benefits such as better communication, collaboration, physical health, mental health, teamwork, and enthusiasm provided to the students. Let us discuss the importance of extracurricular activities offered to students and how teachers can improve students' participation in these activities.
Importance of Extracurricular Activities
Ensure Physical Fitness
The students who participate in any form of co-curriculum tend to stay physically active and fit. Sports activities, dance, yoga, aerobics, swimming, and many other such activities are very helpful to keep students highly active. Healthy blood circulation controlled weight, proper blood pressure, and sugar levels are maintained with the help of an extracurricular. Also, this improves the academic performance of the students too.
Better Mental Fitness
Extracurricular activities provide students a break from their regular classes, study pressure, and stress. By meeting their friends and other people while performing extracurricular activities, students feel mentally better and active. A change from the stressful environment into an enthusiastic one helped to improve the mental fitness of the students. Also, a healthy and active mind helps students to perform in academics much better.
Enhances collaboration and communication among students
An environment that allows students to participate in extracurricular activities improves communication and collaboration among the learners. For group activities such as playing volleyball, basketball, or group dance allows students to discuss the games, ideas, and plans. This improves their communication. Also, the winning team spirit and to achieve common goals, students' collaboration skills are improved.
Broadens the career opportunities for students
Career opportunities are not only limited to academic subjects only. By participating in extracurricular activities, students can find their other talents too. Interest in any such activity and effective performance can help students to choose it as a career option as well.
How to improve students participation in extracurricular activities : 3 tips for teachers
Make extracurricular activities compulsory
Classroom studies are not enough to make students effective in education. To ensure that students are growing and developing properly, make extracurricular participation compulsory for them. Include the activities which students enjoy. Have a variety of options considering the interest of all types of students. The variety of options offered will help students to choose the one which they enjoy.
This will make them enthusiastic and more interested in extracurricular activities. In the case of online teaching, these activities can be conducted too. For example, online yoga classes, aerobics, Zumba, and dance can be organized. Through live classes, ask students to keep their cameras on and follow what the teachers are asking them to do.
Make it a part of the everyday schedule
In the teaching timetable, you have, along with classes of academic subjects, it is important to have a class for extracurricular activities on a daily basis. Manage your teaching classes well with the help of LMS portals and conduct classes where students can move their bodies a bit. During these classes, ask students to go to the activities and clubs that they have selected.
For example, the ones who have selected sports can go to the playgrounds, dance room for the dance classes, and other classes respectively. Even a thirty to forty minutes class is enough to provide students a break from back-to-back classes and make them collaborate and communicate effectively.
Encourage them
Many students are reluctant to participate and do any kind of physical activity. The lack of motivation, and enthusiasm makes them lazy and less interested in extracurricular activities. To ensure that students do something, teachers should encourage students. Motivate them to participate in any activity they are interested in. Teach them the benefits they will get by doing any form of extracurricular activities. You can also take part with them in this to encourage and boost their interest and enthusiasm in doing extracurricular activities.
Conclusion
Extracurricular activities play an important role in the lives of students. By reading the benefits we can make out its importance for learners. Therefore teachers must make students participate in any form of extracurricular activities. The above-mentioned tips can be used by teachers in this regard.
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