Principal’s Blog
15 May 2019
As the examination session approaches teachers inevitably notice a drop off in attendance at musical, sporting and other co-curricular activities. I suppose the argument is that co-curricular involvement takes up too much time and is not as important as revision.
At TISB we beg to differ! I consider a student’s social life combined with activities and sport away from the classroom as important as their academic studies for their wellbeing and general development. There is so much pressure on students to perform well in their examinations and to attain the highest grades in order to achieve in life; and it is only natural for the school and parents to have these expectations. The problem though, comes when students have no life outside their classrooms and become all consumed by their studies. Their world revolves around their books which leaves little room for holistic development. “Continuing involvement in co-curricular activities boosts academic performance” Dr Caroline Pascoe, Principal, TISB At TISB it is always heartening, and I am glad to say, a common occurrence to see students out on the sports field or on a court rather than spending their free time looking at a screen or struggling to take in more academic work. This article from The Economic Times on 12 May 2019, with inclusion from Kate Potts, Marketing & Communications Manager here at TISB, goes further to illustrate how parents are encouraging their sons and daughters to take part in activities outside the classroom.
8 Benefits of Co-curricular Activities 1. Better Grades: you may think that time away from studies will result in lower grades – not true. Co-curricular activities promote passion and excitement which are qualities proven to improve brain functionality. 2. Better Time-management Skills: students learn the skill of planning and organising resulting in less procrastination and more productivity, leading to a sense of responsibility and accountability in themselves. 3. Increased Self-Esteem: involvement in a social, enjoyable, rewarding and sometimes competitive environment gives students a higher sense of self-worth and self-esteem. Co-curricular activities allow students to develop and master skills in a fun and relaxed environment and provide many challenges and opportunities for success, as well as teach students how to manage failure.
Principal’s Blog
15 May 2019
4. Commitment: students involved in a co-curricular activity develop a sense of commitment to the activity and their cohort. This commitment will extend to all other areas of life. 5. Exercising Body and Mind: a huge benefit of co-curricular activities is that they promote stress-reduction and emotional, mental and physical fitness. A change of pace allows important downtime whilst being involved in enjoyable activities. 6. Skill Development: new and useful skills will be learnt such as teamwork, the art of practicing, discipline, strategy, social skills, an expanded world view and critical thinking. Learning a musical instrument will actually engage both sides of the brain being both analytical and creative simultaneously. 7. Improved Social Skills: Some students can find it difficult to form friendships. Cocurricular activities allow adolescents to be surrounded by individuals who have the same interests, allowing friendships to be forged in a relaxed environment. 8. Good for College Applications: being able to stand out from the crowd amongst other college applications by including co-curricular activity involvement is certainly a benefit and allows students to illustrate that they can manage their time effectively. TISB is proud to offer around 45 different co-curricular activities after school. The TISB After-School Activities Programme, Activities Summary and Sign-Up forms will be available to parents in the Parent Portal.