Importance of Co Curricular Activities in School

Students can learn through many mediums like talking to their peer, listening to experiences, performing experiments to come to a conclusion and by working on projects in groups. These methods aim at helping the students to gain a complete understanding of the concept and build other skills like analyzing, working in co-ordination, exploring the topic etc. Co curricular activities in school are another way of ensuring the all round development of the students.

Co-curricular activities in school are those that are not a part of the regular academic curriculum. They are also known as extra-curricular activities. These activities are present across all levels of education. In some schools participating in these activities is compulsory whereas a few schools keep them voluntary. The activities are directed by the faculty and sometimes external help is also taken from experts.

Such activities mostly include inter-house competitions, annual days, parent’s day, sports, performing arts, debates and much more.

These activities are not examined as the regular curriculum, but they are as important as the academic curriculum, followed in school. They form the core of a student’s life and aid the students in developing competition spirit, creative thinking, balancing priorities and team spirit. Following are some reasons why co curricular activities in school are important –

• Extra-curricular activities help students to develop their all-round personality and handle different kinds of tasks and challenges. Such activities include a lot of team work, thinking out of the box, matching up to competition and working in pressure. These skills are extremely useful in future when these students work in corporate and face challenges daily.

• A student who is active with co curricular activities develop attributes like competitive spirit, co-operation, team leading, people management, punctuality, diligence along with developing one of their major talents. This improves the student’s self confidence and creates a sense of achievement in him/her.

• Admissions in colleges are very competitive. Higher the percentage the better chances of the student of making through. But students with a good track record of participating in co curricular activities in school have a very good chance of getting admissions upfront as colleges and institutes prefer students who are involved in many more activities apart from academic curriculum.

• Also physical activities that are an essential part of extra- curricular activities help the students to remain fit and refresh their mind. Also such activities keep students away from harmful indulgence like drugs, crime, etc.

• Candidates who have rich extracurricular background in school life are a suitable choice for employment by recruiters. They are valuable student experiences that recruiters lookout for.

These activities are absolutely essential as they develop the student intellectually. The kind of exposure these activities provide is not possible to be accomplished through theoretic means. They are extremely helpful in developing the student’s talent. They are a good breather from the regular classroom teaching and refresh the child’s mind to concentrate better. It is important that parent’s too take part in these activities and encourage their children to perform better.

Bullying in Schools

Bullying in schools is a worldwide problem that can have negative consequences for the general school climate and for the right of students to learn in a safe environment without fear. Bullying can also have negative lifelong consequences--both for students who bully and for their victims. Although much of the formal research on bullying has taken place in the Scandinavian countries, Great Britain, and Japan, the problems associated with bullying have been noted and discussed wherever formal schooling environments exist.

Bullying is comprised of direct behaviors such as teasing, taunting, threatening, hitting, and stealing that are initiated by one or more students against a victim. In addition to direct attacks, bullying may also be more indirect by causing a student to be socially isolated through intentional exclusion. While boys typically engage in direct bullying methods, girls who bully are more apt to utilize these more subtle indirect strategies, such as spreading rumors and enforcing social isolation (Ahmad & Smith, 1994; Smith & Sharp, 1994). Whether the bullying is direct or indirect, the key component of bullying is that the physical or psychological intimidation occurs repeatedly over time to create an ongoing pattern of harassment and abuse (Batsche & Knoff, 1994; Olweus, 1993).

Extent of the Problem

Various reports and studies have established that approximately 15% of students are either bullied regularly or are initiators of bullying behavior (Olweus, 1993). Direct bullying seems to increase through the elementary years, peak in the middle school/junior high school years, and decline during the high school years. However, while direct physical assault seems to decrease with age, verbal abuse appears to remain constant. School size, racial composition, and school setting (rural, suburban, or urban) do not seem to be distinguishing factors in predicting the occurrence of bullying. Finally, boys engage in bullying behavior and are victims of bullies more frequently than girls (Batsche & Knoff, 1994; Nolin, Davies, & Chandler, 1995; Olweus, 1993; Whitney & Smith, 1993).

Characteristics of Bullies and Victims

Students who engage in bullying behaviors seem to have a need to feel powerful and in control. They appear to derive satisfaction from inflicting injury and suffering on others, seem to have little empathy for their victims, and often defend their actions by saying that their victims provoked them in some way. Studies indicate that bullies often come from homes where physical punishment is used, where the children are taught to strike back physically as a way to handle problems, and where parental involvement and warmth are frequently lacking. Students who regularly display bullying behaviors are generally defiant or oppositional toward adults, antisocial, and apt to break school rules. In contrast to prevailing myths, bullies appear to have little anxiety and to possess strong self-esteem. There is little evidence to support the contention that they victimize others because they feel bad about themselves (Batsche & Knoff, 1994; Olweus, 1993).

Students who are victims of bullying are typically anxious, insecure, cautious, and suffer from low self-esteem, rarely defending themselves or retaliating when confronted by students who bully them. They may lack social skills and friends, and they are often socially isolated. Victims tend to be close to their parents and may have parents who can be described as overprotective. The major defining physical characteristic of victims is that they tend to be physically weaker than their peers--other physical characteristics such as weight, dress, or wearing eyeglasses do not appear to be significant factors that can be correlated with victimization (Batsche & Knoff, 1994; Olweus, 1993).

The Number one Secret of Achievement

Do you realize what one with the essential secrets of success is – what

tends to make people today profitable in company, sport or any other
element of their lives?
Let me come back to that inside a moment.

Ever given that I discovered that I wasn’t invincible and that my
physique would fall apart over time, I’ve been a member of a
health club.
I’ve attended regularly over the previous fifteen many years and my
body deterioration is almost staying kept in test.

On the other hand I’ve generally noticed lots of new faces at the health club,
a few of which seem to disappear more than a short time frame.
Most gyms and health clubs have a high turnover of members
or “churn” since the marketing and advertising individuals like to phone it.
A single club I know of loses close to fifty members a month and
needs to get the job done hard to sign up that amount just for the
business to stand still.

It’s not that these gyms supply a poor service, on the
contrary – it is because the members – “give up.”

New members join to lose weight or to acquire match. They then
torture themselves on the rowing machines and each of the other
instruments of agony. If, immediately after some weeks of sweat and
pain, they don’t see any visible result – they quit.

You are in all probability away ahead of me on this; because the essential
secret of good results that I mentioned earlier is this – Never
EVER Give up.
This is what separates the winners from the losers in
organization, in sport and in life – that is what results is all
about.

If you have a mountain to climb both literally or
figuratively and you also reach an obstacle – do not give up.
Obtain an additional way round – even go back a quick distance and
come with the scenario from yet another course.

Whatever it is you happen to be attempting to realize, what ever good results
you desire – never ever give up! Make errors – fall down – get up
- fall down – but get up and try out again.

So there you may have it – If you would like results don’t forget what
Winston Churchill the moment mentioned – “Never – Never – By no means give
up!”

A Break From Routines

PERKHEMAHAN UNIT BERUNIFORM
JULY 6th - JULY 8th 2012
Question 2
MUET 800/4
Students' participation in co-curricular activities has been made one of the criteria for entry into universities. What do you think of the requirement? Give your opinion and support it with reasons. You should write at least 350 words.