No one denies that literacy and math are important foundations of learning but should science and sports be put aside as extracurricular activities for children too soon?
More and more schools are cutting extra classes in subjects like physical education, arts, and science to accommodate more basics. In a 2007 study, the Center for Education Policy found that the introduction of the No Child Left behind Act in 2002 led to increased literacy and numeracy in schools at the expense of other subjects such as music and arts.
Custody
This trend is unstoppable, so please join us. In fact, a follow-up study in 2008 found that adding subjects reduced classroom time by an average of 2.5 hours per week. But how can I change something?
Act as an advocate.
Attend meetings and coffee mornings with the principal and answer school surveys. Please send a letter or email to highlight your concerns. Remember, it’s not just art that’s been affected. A nationwide survey by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that half of the high school students don’t attend gym class on an average week, and only 20% of them meet government requirements at elementary schools in San Francisco. It was only — At least 20 minutes a day, according to researchers at the University of California, San Francisco.
Prioritize the PTA’s budget.
Parent-teacher associations often sponsor activities and extras that school budgets cannot cover. Bring your issue to the board or become a board member yourself and get votes on PTA projects. Offer to sponsor the school’s sports or ask her to make arts activities such as the PTA’s national program Reflections a priority for her PTA. Find fun basics. Many outside organizations wish to use school facilities for extracurricular activities such as science clubs and robotics. Contact organizations that offer after-school activities in your area and request a proxy at your school. Talk to school officials about room availability, advertise the activity in flyers sent home, and choose a convenient time for the meeting. Like-minded parents don’t mind spending money to attend additional classes.
Volunteer.
Provide an activity that is open to all by sharing your time and effort. Coordinate an after-school running club, chess club, or other activity with minimal upfront costs and equipment. Recruit other parents to help run the program and get started right away. Even the simple act of running multiple laps around the mileage credit field is an effective way to encourage physical activity. No one is too young to participate. The sooner your child gets into sports, the better. His 2008 study by Trudeau and Shepard found that improving physical education in elementary school actually improved academic performance.
Additional Activities
Unfortunately, parents are not always in control of school subjects, especially in public schools. If your efforts have been fruitless, Trudeau suggests giving your child a variety of sports to try outside of school hours. As you weigh your options, Trudeau suggests making the right choices for your child. You have to remember a few factors.
First impression.
Is the facility clean and safe? Are the staff friendly and helpful? Do other attendees seem satisfied, interested, and engaged? First impressions are important, and there’s a lot to learn by seeing a live class.
Obligation.
Your child may try out some activities and quickly decide they aren’t for them, while others require a longer commitment. Whether it’s a traveling team, a mandatory practice session, or a mandatory lecture, your child needs to know it’s up to them when they sign up.
Figure Skating Coach, many elite teams demand contracts and payments, and if they quit they don’t get them back. Make sure your child understands their responsibilities before signing the dotted line.
Over Planning.
Pick a sport or two for your elementary-aged child to engage in a series of after-school events. At this age, play days in the park can be as active as organized activities. As homework begins to intensify later in life, ensure adequate time for schoolwork, free time, and extracurricular activities. If your child is noticeably sleepy during the day or his grades are declining, it could be a sign of too much commitment.
Extracurricular activities
can actually help if your child is struggling with a particular subject. Reluctant mathematicians may find music lessons helpful, as they have been shown to develop spatial reasoning and spatiotemporal awareness. Interpretation and reproduction have been found to help children improve their reading and writing skills.
Anything Artistic
encourages creative and flexible thinking and carries over to other areas of academic skills and problem-solving. Ask your child what activities they are interested in and get recommendations from other parents.
Activities may be more appealing
simply because her friends are already participating. As it grows, it becomes more and more important to choose something outside the curriculum, stick to it, and strive for it. It doesn’t hurt to try it. Ultimately, if she’s enthusiastic, she’s more likely to continue and profit.
