Although a compulsory part of child’s education, the subjects like arts, music, dance are often regarded by many as marginal subjects in schools and so do their teachers. This, despite the fact that these co-curricular subjects help develop various facets of personality in the children. Classroom teaching when supplemented with co-curricular activities helps confidence develop in the students of all age groups, say the experts.
Today being the Teachers’ Day, it is important to remember the role of the teachers who despite being relegated to the margins are contributing to the holistic development of the personality of the students, helping them bring out the skills and qualities dormant in them which are not taken care of by the conventional curricular programmes.
A city- based music teacher Mayank Pathak said, “Music plays an important role in one’s life. It is like a living meditation and it helps children to increase their concentration on studies. When the mind is relaxed the excellence automatically comes.â€
For the overall development of a child, curriculum is not all, as is thought by many. He must have some other skills, instrumental for the growth of his personality, which falls outside the curriculum. “We strive hard to make the students exceptional in all fields, be it communication skills, or fine arts,†said the principal DPS Haridwar K C Pandey.
Experts say that these co-curricular activities are not new in India. The education during the time of the Vedas, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata included subjects like art, music and dance. “For, they knew that they are imperative for the complete development of the children. The tradition was in vogue in the gurukul system of education. The towering thinkers of the West like Rousseau, Herbert Spencer and John Dewey spoke volume of the importance of co-curricular activity in the school education,†said an educationist based in Haridwar.
The students studying in the Government primary school no 28 at Rishikul said they wanted to become good citizens of the country while emulating the great.
During an interactive session, a class five student Megha Arya said that she liked to go to school mainly because of the line art drawing recently introduced by a social organisation in her school.
“The teacher teaches me the art of making line images, something which I love, “ said little Megha.
