School is by definition, “an institution for educating children,” so why is it that we spend so much time out of class rather than learning about the things we need to know? Almost every kid in Charter is involved in one way or another, whether it be sports or clubs, but one thing all these activities have in common is the amount of time they take away from the classroom. I believe that our classes should be our priority during our time at school and that the rest of our time can be used however we’d like, a preferred way by most being these extracurricular activities we so enjoy.
Extra, that’s what they are: they are things that students can add onto their mandatory curriculum to enhance their school experience or maybe just beef up their resume, but they are not necessities and therefore shouldn’t take focus away from those things which are. It’s important to take part in pleasurable activities but it is essential that children focus more on the needs than the wants of school life.
Throughout my time at Charter, I have been involved in an extensive list of extracurriculars to the point where some tell me I spread myself too thin. Because of this, I have spent my time in class working on things that, while I may deem important, may pale in comparison to what is being taught. I have realized that doing what I’ve done may have caused me to limit myself in regards to how much I allow myself to learn. Sure, a field trip here and there is okay, or leaving class to work on a fundraiser is admirable, but all the time we spend out of the class relates back to education lost. Some people may view field trips in a responsible way, however, there are many which do not. “There are students searching for a field trip to be able to leave school,” said Yearbook and CTV2 advisor Samantha Harwell. “Many times, those students are not necessarily ones to have straight A’s, so being in school is important for them.”
Harwell does believe that field trips can be beneficial, but many people do take them for granted and try to take advantage of the situations presented to them. The school already offers many electives which can be used to lighten a students load and even holds field trips and event days which give students a reprieve from the busy school lives they must endure. However, while Harwell says it can be a distraction to someone, not everyone agrees. “I don’t think so,” said Junior Class President Gianna Weingard. “I think it’s better to get a fresh perspective and switch up the vibe instead of being stuck in a classroom.”
Although field trips do present a different and unique way to learn, I believe they usually do more harm than good, as they intrude on a teacher’s personal teaching time. Different students learn in different ways, with some needing assistance in order to understand what they are being taught while others may just be able to take it home and teach themselves. It’s important to give teachers the ability to teach their own materials and do their jobs because taking time away from their classes inflicts more damage than necessary. While field trips and extracurriculars are fun, it’s important to not lose sight of the true goal set forth at school: to learn as much as possible as efficiently as possible.
