With the pressure of test scores in public schools, extracurricular activities tend to be looked at simply as leisure and a distraction. Most educators believe that time spent away from the classroom decreases the students’ chances for success. Extracurricular activities should be viewed as a developmental factor in a student’s life. When looking at the vast variety of the activities available, it creates a diverse range of program. This includes sports, student government, fine arts, academic clubs, and service organizations. Although the positive outcomes have been shown in many examples, there is still a fierce clash of views among educators concerning the need for extracurricular activities.
Educators should view extracurricular activities as an extension to an educational program. Activities allow students to develop skills such as leadership, sportsmanship, self-discipline, and confidence. These activities allow students to expand their knowledge on previous topics mentioned early in our development. The development of these skills achieved through extracurricular activities, cannot be developed through the traditional classroom setting. The participation of extracurricular activities is positively shown through grade-point average, attendance, and attitude. It socially affects students’ lives too, bringing more self-esteem and confidence to the classroom.
However, study habits decline along with the time we have available to study. Homework usually gets pushed aside as the commitment to the activity is more important. Students who are too over-scheduled in activities may see this as a negative outcome rather than a positive outcome. Students will be tired and show less participation in school. Multitasking school, homework, and extracurricular activities can be very difficult and will show negatively in a student’s daily life.
Extracurricular activities have shown both positively and negatively with having such an impact on a student's daily life. Students don't realize how much they effect their lives. They develop skills that are beneficial. However, they also create unhealthy study habits. The study habits they create, become unhealthy due to limited time to study. Extracurricular activities allow students to show their diversity with the wide range of options available. A student's life is benefited more often than not but it does require time management and self-discipline to balance everything. Sometimes it is not necessarily the activity that is increasing the student's grades and attendance. It could simply be that motivated students are participating in extracurricular activities.
