Extracurricular Activity Definition
Extracurricular activities are defined as those activities which are not the components of the academic curriculum but an integral part of the educational environment. Extracurricular activities comprise sports, singing, music, debate, dance, drama, social services, etc. Schools can play a pivotal role by channelizing the energy of both normal as well as physically challenged students into a fruitful direction of personality development through extra-curricular activities.
To develop the various facets of personality of kids, children, and students; curricula must be supplemented with extracurricular activities. Extracurricular activities help in the development of intellectual, emotional, and moral development.
Extracurricular Activity Meaning
The main motto of extracurricular activities is personality development. These are the activities which promote students to take up their study in a healthy manner. All-round development as well as intellectual development is not the domain of curriculum, these characteristics can be judiciously fulfilled by co-curricular activities. Extracurricular activities include bands, sports, the student newspaper, literary, acting & drama, music, cultural activities.
Extracurricular Activity of Students
For the holistic development of students, extracurricular activities even got much encouragement since ancient times. Ancient scriptures such as Veda, Upanishads, Mahabharata, and Ramayana where extracurricular activities were elaborately mentioned. These scriptures discussed cooking, singing, playing, warfare activities, wrestling archery, milking the cow. etc., as co-curricular activities.
Nowadays, schools and colleges have been given much more importance to extracurricular activities so that the hidden potential of students could be harnessed. Extracurricular activities help to develop creativity and artistic talents among students. Great educational thinkers such as Rousseau’s, Spencer, and Dewey had advocated the importance of extracurricular activities among students so as to develop social relationships intellectual intelligence.
Insertion of Extracurricular Activities on Resume
Extracurricular activities on resume put a positive notion before the interviewers. Insertion of extracurricular activities on resume strengthens your bio-data when you lack adequate work experience. If you switch over your career or changes your job, even in such conditions, insertion of co-curricular activities in your resume played an effective role. How to insert and where to put the extra-curricular activities on a resume is also important. It is better to put these activities at the last. The important qualities such as leadership experience, singing, music, sports, writing skills, volunteer work, foreign language, etc. can be incorporated as extracurricular activities. However, inserting more such activities are not desirable. Putting 3 or 4 co-curricular activities on your resume are advisable as per the priority of your interest.
Extracurricular Activity Importance
There are the following importance of extracurricular activities:
- The classroom teaching-learning environment gets strengthens by extracurricular activities.
- No doubt, classroom teaching is of utmost importance, yet for aesthetic development, character enrichment, spiritual and physical growth, extracurricular activities are equally relevant.
- The features and traits like extempore expression, speech fluency, co-ordination & communication, adjustments, etc, get empowered with co-curricular activities.
- Extracurricular activities enable the students to express themselves freely. Inculcate the values of co-operation.
- It is a means of developing skills and competence. Different extracurricular activities have their own significance i.e. Debate helps to generate ideas and giving reasons and counter-reasons.
- Sometimes, learning-teaching becomes monotonous; this can be changed into a pleasant atmosphere by participating in extra-curricular activities.
- Co-curricular activities help to prepare you for your future challenge.
- Extracurricular activities enable to groom the students for future leadership.
Extracurricular Activity for Kids
The seeds of personality development start blooming at this age. So, experiencing extra-curricular activities at this point in time is very very important for the individual. As many psychological and sociological changes take place during this period, therefore proper care should be taken both by parents as well as teachers.
Extracurricular Activity Benefits and Advantages
- Students get inter-mingle with different peer groups during these activities which satisfy the needs of socialization, self-assessment, and self-identification.
- Extra-curricular activities require sacrifice and control which ultimately helps in grooming your balanced personality.
- Field trips, traveling, and tours help to know about other places, people, customs, and cultures.
- These activities provide opportunities to adjust themselves to other people.
- It helps in the proper channelization of physical health.
- Extra-curricular activities provide motivation for learning.
