After-School Activities And Relationship-Building
Extra-curricular activities for children and teens are a huge industry, for lack of a better word, with over $500M invested every year in America alone. We all understand the value of teaching our children new skills, and how to use existing skills in new environments…
One of the most valuable aspects of these programs is the chance kids have to build relationships with adults and their peers.
Since the group leaders or coaches aren’t quite the authority figures that parents and teachers are, kids may feel freer to talk to, confide in and learn from them. And they have a chance to interact with others their own age, in a more relaxed atmosphere than school provides.
These relationships obviously benefit kids socially, but they provide real learning opportunities as well. Kids learn a lot by observation and a sort of osmosis, and the chance to watch and learn from people who are experienced in one activity or another can be very valuable. Instructors and older kids can be great mentors to the newbies, who are likely to be inspired by them to do well.
It’s largely the informality of these relationships that support the learning experience. Because Mr. Smith the archery instructor isn’t telling anybody to stop chewing gum in class or what time to go to bed, the kids can relax and simply soak it all in. The more they learn and enjoy the activity, the more likely they are to continue, and as they continue they’re going to learn more…and on it goes!
Well-managed after school activities can produce children who are more motivated to succeed, and that motivation will probably carry over into other areas of their lives. So this meaningful but relaxed interaction with knowledgeable adults can provide an important learning experience in their formative years.
January 11, 2009 at 2:14 pm
I think that these days, when communities are often a lot more fractured and many of us don’t have our extended families around either, these extra-curricular opportunities are particularly valuable.
My children will have been to a primary school at which I teach, and then a secondary school where my husband teaches, I think this makes it especially important that they then have an opportunity to engage in activities with other adults too.
**My mom used to sub at our elementary/primary school occasionally, it WAS a bit weird for us kids! So I think I can relate.**