Extra curricular no more

Updated on: Thursday, January 12, 2012

Gone are the days when activities like gardening, pottery and cooking came under the paradigm of hobby classes.

To the horror of students, most of the time, the chemistry and math teachers eyed these classes like hawks to snatch the time allotted for not-so-important subjects for their extra classes.

Not anymore, as schools have realised the value of activity-based learning and have made such classes compulsory.

From gardening to cycling, and flower arranging to gardening, schools now have them all, with experts teaching the nuances.

National Model School, Coimbatore, has introduced the concept of radio jockeying in order to facilitate better personality development.

School secretary Mohan Chander says, “We set up a radio station inside our campus, with our very own network that relays broadcasts via the school’s speakers. Students are allowed to operate the studio in turns.

The advantages are many — they grow in confidence with each session, public speaking skills improve, and it’s also a chance for them to take a break from the stress of academics. Such activities are aimed at developing the overall character of a student, and giving them the option to be creative and think outside the box.”

Schools also arrange for adventure trips to provide students with an insight to the rough and tough life. “In 2011 December, we went to a place called Kundha in the Nilgiris, and went on a cycling expedition to the hydraulic power station.

Cycling is an important part of our outdoor curriculum and this trip has not just improved our fitness levels, but also helped us understand nature,” says Ashmitha Arun, Class 8 student.

“These classes are useful to us when we go to various interschool competitions. I received a good training in cookery and that helped me win many competitions. Not just that, now I know what course to select after school.

I’ll either study nutrition or hotel management, considering my culinary skills,” says Apeksha Sundar, a Class 9 student.

Cities like Madurai are yet to have such facilities. S. Mahaboob Ashik of Sourashtra Higher Secondary School, says, “We have painting and drawing courses after school hours but not cookery classes. The schools here have not modernised that much but it will be unique if they start such courses and they will be welcomed by the students who want to do things out-of-the-box.”

Extra curricular no more

More Education news