Co-curricular activities: the concept, the rationale, the aims (the need of ECAs in schools- whether do they align)
Unfortunately, our mentors are not in charge of any ECAs. But, Mr. Long managed to share with me some of his views and opinions on ECAs. Not only that, I was also able to get some question and answers with one of my students, he was none other than Tomohisa!
Having to join an ECA exposes us to the unknown. Knowing that students in Japan do not have much time for themselves, it is safe to say that this is the time where they get to enjoy themselves.
The Concept
Being an athlete in his younger days, Mr. Long believes that students should be at least give everything a try as life is just as it is and we do not know our true potential in things that we may or may not like. He also believes that instilling ECAs allows students to get in touch with theirs and the school's values. Once they are attuned with both, they will be able to understand themselves more, through this it gives them the confidence they needed in life.
Tomohisa however, feels that most clubs are there for the students to continue with what they have been investing since young. Judo at first, was not a decision made by him but rather his parents. He grew to like Judo over time and he was pretty good at it. He also noted that, Judo is almost like a getaway for him from his daily studies and stresses.
The Rationale
The basis of ECAs are meant for the students to balance themselves. Just like what Tomohisa stated earlier, the majority of the students would consider their ECAs as means of relieving stress.
Mr. Long noted that the presence of clubs are meant for the students and parents to know what the students are capable of. Since the students rarely receive praises from their family, ECAs could at least give themselves a sense of accomplishment knowing that they do not have to solely be good at studies and academics.
The Aims
To Mr. Long, he believes that the rationale and concept should be aligned with the aims of ECAs that is why they exist in schools in the first place. He feels that the students should at least have a balance between ECAs and academics. Putting stress on one end of the extreme may not be good as you are missing out on other opportunities. He also mentions that ECAs are meant for students to develop other sets of skills that students do not learn in the classroom and they also get to make use of their non-academic skills.
Tomohisa also believes that students should be well-rounded in both academics and non-academics. In his perspective, joining Judo or clubs in general can increase one's reputation and gives the students a sense of belonging knowing that you fit well in a group. He also mentioned that joining clubs give students the exposure to a sense of community such as the senpai-kouhai relationship where the students understand that there are certain situations which require order and authority. When he is in Judo, he was able to gain the experience in fighting and self-defense, simply based on the senior-junior relationship, he got to learn various moves from his seniors too. Being in Judo also made him learn to feel comfortable with others knowing that his seniors and junior would assist him.
Educational value
Psychological Values
Development of Social Values
Development of Civic Values
Physical Development Values
Recreational Values
Cultural Values
Co-curricular activities are vital because even though they are not a part of the core curriculum, they play a very crucial role in giving the young boys and girls the ability to mold their lives to become well rounded people. The school activities have to be designed purposefully to give an apt mix of student’s participation in academics and also create a chance for all round development.
Overall Personality:
It helps to enhance the all-round personality of the students to strongly face the turbulent road of the future. Experiences and appreciation gained through these activities assist students during internships and other sponsored programs.
Strengthened Self Confidence:
The goal of co-curricular activities is to give better fitness to students and inculcate a sense of sportsmanship, competitive spirit, leadership, meticulousness, cooperation, team spirit and team spirit. The hidden motive behind all this is to develop self-confidence and to learn to trust the team.
Developed Specialized Skills:
Co-curricular activities help hone the talents of the young minds and gives them an opportunity to develop their specialized skills. Competitions that are organized can create a competitive environment and helps them work towards the objective of achieving a better society.
Improved Academic Performance:
Studies have shown that students pursuing their hobbies achieved better results in their studies. Their academic performance goes way up north as they learn to balance their co-curricular activities with their academic pursuits. They also better understand on how to manage their time efficiently and also increases their interest in the school. Such activities like participation in debates, drama, music, sports, etc. help in achieving the bigger purpose of achieving better education.
Greater Opportunities:
In this competitive era, percentages act as game changers during admissions into various courses. Students pursuing any co-curricular activities of their choice are given preference over those who are not involved in any such things. These things make a major difference when students are considered for the most popular courses.
Sense of Responsibility:
Nichidai proudly stated that all schools under Nihon University applies the philosophy of self-independence and creativity. Their aim in education is self-awareness and responsibility whereas their school motto is passion and sincerity/ honesty. Supposedly the ECAs should be aligned with the school motto oh, and let's not forget "Aiming high!". Reflecting back to the experience when in Nichidai, I noticed that the students, despite some of them were not fully committed to academics, they were certainly aiming high when it comes to competition. Nichidai is known for their ECAs where the students are trained to compete with other schools. This can be said as true as Tomohisa also mentioned that the students worked very hard to attain their goal, not only that the students, in Tomohisa's perspective are very skilled and their standards are very high as compared to other students. He once told me that they had to at least swim for 50 meters in the pool to pass their P.E exams. Our mentors and even the Japanese teachers have instilled students to be responsible regardless of situations- students should know or be self-aware on what their have done wrong through reflections and the majority of them were able to relate the concept through that. To be exact, let's try breaking them down:
Self-independence and creativity:
The ECAs offered in Nichidai were of balance, the students get to choose between sports or arts based activities. The participation in sports allows students to have a healthy sense of mind as they exercise and this boosts their thinking. Most of the students are expected to be prepared for ECAs almost everyday and we could see students bringing the necessary equipment to school everyday. A number of ECAs explore the arts and creativity of students, despite some clubs such as science still revolve around the basis of studying and referring to existing formulas, the students were still very creative- let's the physics club for example, one of the students was in charge of collecting photos of people around school to create an AI for recognizing people, though our impression in AI in general was artificial intelligence that could think on their own, I believe that they have taken enough research to build on a new concept. And this also involves their need of being independent as they had to find ways to make sure their project would work. Other ECAs such as photography and even drama clubs require some creativity. When taking pictures, the students need to find the best angle to express the image of a photograph and they also require some inspiration to boost their creativity over what they should be photographing. Drama club allows students to think about what is the best way to express their interpretation of a character's portrayal to the audience.
Self-awareness and responsibility:
The majority of the ECAs induce some sense of responsibility in the students. Well, in order to be responsible, the students must be self-aware. ECAs that are sports based as an example allows students to know their limits and from their they would find ways to overcome it. Take Judo for example, Tomohisa was aware of his body size, he knew that smaller bodies may not be able to defeat larger opponents and from there he would have to be swift and agile in order to beat his opponents in practice and in competition. I would sometimes see the students clean their dojo with brooms once they were done with practicing. He told me that it has been a routine for students to clean up so that it would be easier for their next practice and their training would not be affected next time when they come in. In addition, the students in Nichidai were quite responsible, the majority of the students would submit their homework, if not they would notify their teachers. We would also encounter students coming to the English Lounge for some help in homework.
Passion and sincerity/ honesty:
Students choosing their ECAs has already been a clear indicator that they were very passionate about what they are good at. Well, to be frank, I don't really see much relation between sincerity and any of the ECAs, however, in terms of their performance in their clubs, then I guess that they are very putting a lot of effort. a number of students in Ms. Jaimee's class were always and sincere and honest about themselves, knowing that there is some consequence to every action or decision, they chose to face the music. For example, if they didn't bring any of the materials, they would notify Ms. Jaimee about it. When it comes to student work, they would try to fulfill the criteria or target language set by our mentors.
Well, if we ought to compare the students in general such as in class- their performances, behaviors and attitude, well, in the eyes of an outsider who has a more individualistic mentality, I'd say, not really in all honesty. Though I can't say it applies to all students (well, kind of), the students' behavior represents the school culture and even in class they were almost different. They do not seem to apply the same thinking or concept when in class- they simply treat studying and learning as something that are just meant to be memorized. It is quite difficult to explain that they students only display their positive qualities in their ECAs while they chose to conceal them in class. It is what I mentioned before, they would only truly be themselves when their are beyond the confines of the classroom.
Having to join an ECA exposes us to the unknown. Knowing that students in Japan do not have much time for themselves, it is safe to say that this is the time where they get to enjoy themselves.
The Concept
Being an athlete in his younger days, Mr. Long believes that students should be at least give everything a try as life is just as it is and we do not know our true potential in things that we may or may not like. He also believes that instilling ECAs allows students to get in touch with theirs and the school's values. Once they are attuned with both, they will be able to understand themselves more, through this it gives them the confidence they needed in life.
Tomohisa however, feels that most clubs are there for the students to continue with what they have been investing since young. Judo at first, was not a decision made by him but rather his parents. He grew to like Judo over time and he was pretty good at it. He also noted that, Judo is almost like a getaway for him from his daily studies and stresses.
The Rationale
The basis of ECAs are meant for the students to balance themselves. Just like what Tomohisa stated earlier, the majority of the students would consider their ECAs as means of relieving stress.
Mr. Long noted that the presence of clubs are meant for the students and parents to know what the students are capable of. Since the students rarely receive praises from their family, ECAs could at least give themselves a sense of accomplishment knowing that they do not have to solely be good at studies and academics.
The Aims
To Mr. Long, he believes that the rationale and concept should be aligned with the aims of ECAs that is why they exist in schools in the first place. He feels that the students should at least have a balance between ECAs and academics. Putting stress on one end of the extreme may not be good as you are missing out on other opportunities. He also mentions that ECAs are meant for students to develop other sets of skills that students do not learn in the classroom and they also get to make use of their non-academic skills.
Tomohisa also believes that students should be well-rounded in both academics and non-academics. In his perspective, joining Judo or clubs in general can increase one's reputation and gives the students a sense of belonging knowing that you fit well in a group. He also mentioned that joining clubs give students the exposure to a sense of community such as the senpai-kouhai relationship where the students understand that there are certain situations which require order and authority. When he is in Judo, he was able to gain the experience in fighting and self-defense, simply based on the senior-junior relationship, he got to learn various moves from his seniors too. Being in Judo also made him learn to feel comfortable with others knowing that his seniors and junior would assist him.
The alignment
A Chinese proverb states, “Teach me, and I will forget. Show me, and I might remember. Involve me, and I will never forget.” To a very great extent, the theoretical knowledge is enhanced when a co-curricular activity related to the content taught, is organized. Intellectual development of the personality is achieved to a great extent, in the classroom itself. But, the aesthetic development like character building, spiritual and moral values, physical growth, creativity and many more are backed up by co-curricular activities only. It also professes coordination, adjustment, and speech fluency, extempore and debating skills amongst students. It teaches the students to stand up for their rights. Co-curricular activities render a number of values like:
"All and no play makes Jake a dull boy," and this applies to school life as well. Sometimes people should understand that education or learning does not only occur only in the 4 corners of a classroom, but rather education is meant to provide an all-round development in oneself such as intellectual, physical, moral, sensible and social development.
The meaning co-curricular is meant to go side-by-side with the main academics - curricular thus schools induce them together with academics.
The meaning co-curricular is meant to go side-by-side with the main academics - curricular thus schools induce them together with academics.
Co-curricular activities are vital because even though they are not a part of the core curriculum, they play a very crucial role in giving the young boys and girls the ability to mold their lives to become well rounded people. The school activities have to be designed purposefully to give an apt mix of student’s participation in academics and also create a chance for all round development.
It helps to enhance the all-round personality of the students to strongly face the turbulent road of the future. Experiences and appreciation gained through these activities assist students during internships and other sponsored programs.
When students in their early teens are given some responsibility or a task to handle like first aid or for that matter managing the class painting board, their efficiency to handle such situations becomes much better. This fosters the sense of responsibility and accountability.
- Exposure to New Activities:
Students are introduced to a whole new horizon of activities that gives them a better insight and lets them choose what they enjoy and what they wish to learn. It broadens new horizons for them. These activities stimulate playing, painting, acting, dancing, singing and speaking skills in students.
Personal Thoughts
Nichidai proudly stated that all schools under Nihon University applies the philosophy of self-independence and creativity. Their aim in education is self-awareness and responsibility whereas their school motto is passion and sincerity/ honesty. Supposedly the ECAs should be aligned with the school motto oh, and let's not forget "Aiming high!". Reflecting back to the experience when in Nichidai, I noticed that the students, despite some of them were not fully committed to academics, they were certainly aiming high when it comes to competition. Nichidai is known for their ECAs where the students are trained to compete with other schools. This can be said as true as Tomohisa also mentioned that the students worked very hard to attain their goal, not only that the students, in Tomohisa's perspective are very skilled and their standards are very high as compared to other students. He once told me that they had to at least swim for 50 meters in the pool to pass their P.E exams. Our mentors and even the Japanese teachers have instilled students to be responsible regardless of situations- students should know or be self-aware on what their have done wrong through reflections and the majority of them were able to relate the concept through that. To be exact, let's try breaking them down:
Self-independence and creativity:
The ECAs offered in Nichidai were of balance, the students get to choose between sports or arts based activities. The participation in sports allows students to have a healthy sense of mind as they exercise and this boosts their thinking. Most of the students are expected to be prepared for ECAs almost everyday and we could see students bringing the necessary equipment to school everyday. A number of ECAs explore the arts and creativity of students, despite some clubs such as science still revolve around the basis of studying and referring to existing formulas, the students were still very creative- let's the physics club for example, one of the students was in charge of collecting photos of people around school to create an AI for recognizing people, though our impression in AI in general was artificial intelligence that could think on their own, I believe that they have taken enough research to build on a new concept. And this also involves their need of being independent as they had to find ways to make sure their project would work. Other ECAs such as photography and even drama clubs require some creativity. When taking pictures, the students need to find the best angle to express the image of a photograph and they also require some inspiration to boost their creativity over what they should be photographing. Drama club allows students to think about what is the best way to express their interpretation of a character's portrayal to the audience.
Self-awareness and responsibility:
The majority of the ECAs induce some sense of responsibility in the students. Well, in order to be responsible, the students must be self-aware. ECAs that are sports based as an example allows students to know their limits and from their they would find ways to overcome it. Take Judo for example, Tomohisa was aware of his body size, he knew that smaller bodies may not be able to defeat larger opponents and from there he would have to be swift and agile in order to beat his opponents in practice and in competition. I would sometimes see the students clean their dojo with brooms once they were done with practicing. He told me that it has been a routine for students to clean up so that it would be easier for their next practice and their training would not be affected next time when they come in. In addition, the students in Nichidai were quite responsible, the majority of the students would submit their homework, if not they would notify their teachers. We would also encounter students coming to the English Lounge for some help in homework.
Passion and sincerity/ honesty:
Students choosing their ECAs has already been a clear indicator that they were very passionate about what they are good at. Well, to be frank, I don't really see much relation between sincerity and any of the ECAs, however, in terms of their performance in their clubs, then I guess that they are very putting a lot of effort. a number of students in Ms. Jaimee's class were always and sincere and honest about themselves, knowing that there is some consequence to every action or decision, they chose to face the music. For example, if they didn't bring any of the materials, they would notify Ms. Jaimee about it. When it comes to student work, they would try to fulfill the criteria or target language set by our mentors.
Well, if we ought to compare the students in general such as in class- their performances, behaviors and attitude, well, in the eyes of an outsider who has a more individualistic mentality, I'd say, not really in all honesty. Though I can't say it applies to all students (well, kind of), the students' behavior represents the school culture and even in class they were almost different. They do not seem to apply the same thinking or concept when in class- they simply treat studying and learning as something that are just meant to be memorized. It is quite difficult to explain that they students only display their positive qualities in their ECAs while they chose to conceal them in class. It is what I mentioned before, they would only truly be themselves when their are beyond the confines of the classroom.
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