Extracurricular activities are found in all levels of our schools in many different forms. They can be sports, clubs, debate, drama, school publications, student council, and other social events. A student’s future can be determined in the things that they do in the hours after school and before their parents get home. Extracurricular activities are totally voluntary so students that do not want to participate in them do not have to. However, they provide experiences that are not included in formal courses of study. They allow students to apply the knowledge that they have learned in other classes and acquire concepts of democratic life.
Extracurricular activities have many positive effects on education. The positive effects that extracurricular activities have on students are behaviour, better grades, school completion, positive aspects to become successful adults, and a social aspect. Extracurricular activities began in the United States in the 19th century. The first extracurricular activities that were well known in schools started at Harvard and Yale University. The first effect that extracurricular activities have on education is behaviour. Students that participate in extracurricular activities have reduced behaviour problems. In sports, they show discipline in drills, practices, and routines. They have a responsibility to perform those tasks correctly, whether it is basketball of football plays, dance routines, or signals in baseball. When students perform these things correctly they are rewarded for their good behaviour and they take pride in their accomplishments. Because of the pride they achieve, they gain better self- respect, self- esteem, and self- confidence.
Higher grades and positive attitudes towards school is the second effect that extracurricular activities have on students. Self- esteem can be a predictor of academic performance. Students that do not like school would not do as well as the students that do like school because they are not motivated to succeed. If students do not like school, it is usually because they do not feel as though they are succeeding or that they can succeed. Participation in extracurricular activities provides students an opportunity to create a positive and voluntary connection to their school. Students that participate in extracurricular activities also showed positive changes in students ‘ self- confidence, teacher perception, and greater confidence. Extracurricular activities increases a student connection to school, raises their self- esteem, and positive social natures.
The final effect that extracurricular activities have on students is the social aspect. Students that are involved in extracurricular activities meet many new people. Each club or sport is different, so students meet different people in all different groups. By joining different ones they meet people with the same backgrounds they have and people they share interests with. Most times the people that students meet are students that they would never talk to or become friends with a normal basis. In different extracurricular activities, students learn about group work, enhancing team spirit among them. Extracurricular activities are a part of students’ everyday life. They play important roles in student’s lives as they have lots of positive effects on student’s lives by improving behaviour, school performance, school completion, positive aspects to make successful adults, and social aspects.