Co-curricular Activities

Brief Outline

 Meaning & Concept

 Definitions
 Objectives of Co-curricular Activities
 Types of Co-curricular Activities
 Importance of Co-curricular Activities
 Advantages of Co-curricular Activities
 Concluding Remarks
 Meaning & Concept
 In broad sense curriculum means the all round development of
the students including the experiences acquired inside and
outside the classroom.
 The co-curricular activities are those activities which take
place outside classroom and help in the development of the
personality of the students.
 Co-curricular activities are now considered as an integral part
of the school programme.
 Co-curricular activities form a vital link in the total pattern of
educational experiences.
 Meaning & Concept
 The aim of education is to develop the native potentialities of a
child.
 Education should help in the development of his personal
qualities and social virtues.
 This can be possible only if they are provided an ideal
environment in the schools.
 These activities also help them to express themselves.
 They also develop a child physically, mentally, spiritually,
socially and vocationally.
 Earlier, these activities in school were known as ‘extra
curricular’ activities.
 But due to its scope and educative importance, it has now been
termed as “Co-curricular activities”.
 Meaning & Concept
 The new education recognize that child comes to school for all
round and harmonious development.
 It aims at the development of the total personality and
education is no longer confined to intellectual development.
 They are in some respects more vital than the curricular
activities themselves.
 These activities provide opportunities of self-expression, sense
of discipline, tolerance, sociability, emotional maturity,
problem solving ability, capacity to give and follow leadership
and participation which inculcate various important traits in
the learner.
 Definitions
 The Indian Education Commission of 1964-66 had stressed that,
“we conceive of the school curriculum as the totality of learning
experiences that the school provides for the pupils through all
the manifold activities in the school or outside, that are carried
on under its supervision”.
 Dr. Radhakrishnan says, “We must release the talents of the
children and help them to become what they are in potential. It is
the machine that constructs, it is the living spirit that creates”.
 The New Education Policy (1986) lays special emphasis on the
need of co-curricular activities. Productive and creative activities
help in the harmonious development of 4 H’s- Head, Heart, Hand
and Health. These activities provide for the expression of the
child’s manifold talents. In fact, co-curricular activities are the
most useful and integral part of curricular programme.
 Objectives of Co-curricular Activities
 To raise the standard of entire educational programme and the
general character of the school.
 To make proper use of leisure time and train the children for
the utilization of their leisure time
 To develop a close relationship between the community and
the school and to encourage the community to take greater
interest in the school.
 To develop the feeling of cooperation and co-existence among
children, who come from different environment and different
communities
 Objectives of Co-curricular Activities

 To make children self-reliant, self-discipline, tolerant and

sympathetic
 To make children loyal and affectionate towards the school
authority
 To reach responsibility and make school life vigorous
 To prepare for practical life and to give training in good
citizenship, democratic experience and self-government.
 Types of Co-curricular Activities

 Physical Activities:
 Physical activities are related with physical well-being of an
individual student.
 Such activities help the students to maintain their physical
health the vigor and also to acquire motor skills through
various indoor and outdoor activities.
 They include activities like athletics, boating, swimming,
gardening, cycling and such other outdoor games.
 Academic Activities

 Such activities help the child to develop his intellectual

abilities like thinking, reasoning and problem solving.
 Activities like recitation, essay writing, debate, extempore
speech, literacy clubs, symposium, group discussions, brain
storming etc.
 Such activities help the children to acquire knowledge and
experiences from the outer of the world.
 Club work develops initiative, spontaneity, sociability,
cooperation and respect for law.
 Similarly, debates train them to improve their insight, speech
ability and self-expression.
 Social Activities

 The social activities provide a great deal of enjoyment and

inculcate good habits and discipline in young children.
 Such activities train the students to become socially matured.
 They help the students to develop desirable social qualities of
co-operation, leadership, democratic values etc.
 It includes social service in the neighborhood, cleanliness
week, first aid, village survey, morning assembly etc.
 Besides occasional observance of some special days such as
parents day, school foundation day, birth of a great man etc.
can be organized from time to time.
 Literary Activities

 Co-curricular activities of the literary type include publication

of the school magazine, pamphlets, bulletins, wall-papers,
essay writing competition, story-telling or story-writing
competition, writing of summary, reviews of selected book
etc.
 These type of activities provide to the pupils training in the
selection of topics, collection of subject-matter, organization
of ideas, and develop confidence.
 Artistic Activities

 For developing artistic feelings among the students, the

school authorities may occasionally arrange some functions
like dramatic performances, musical shows, dance
competitions, painting exhibition, sculpture, modeling,
extempore speech, drawing, variety show, flower festival etc.
 Each of these activities has educative value and as such need
encouragement from the school authority.
 Cultural Activities

 Cultural activities such as dramatic performances, folk music,

folk dances, celebration of religious and other festivals, visit to
places of cultural importance.
 Cultural activities in addition to enabling the children to
understand the value of their cultural heritage, provide to them
opportunities for self-expression and develop their aesthetic
sense.
 Productive Activities

 Productive activities includes spinning, tailoring, embroidery,

knitting, kitchen, gardening, floriculture, soap making, toy
making, weaving, leather work, basket-making, clay-modeling
etc. should be provided in the school.
 These activities give children practical experiences of life.
 Such activities help children to develop virtues like self-
discipline, dignity of labor, honesty, love for work etc.
 Multipurpose Activities

 Beautification of campus, cultural week celebrations,

community survey, prize distribution, alumni get together,
projects of experimental or developmental nature etc.
 It also includes improvement of environment, group activities
like conferences, seminars, group discussions, social service in
the neighborhood.
 Importance of Co-curricular Activities

 The co-curricular activities are very important in the all-round

development of child.
 Stressing on its importance, J.R. Shannon says, “The
participation in co-curricular activities are more likely to
produce wholesome and attractive personalities than routine
class work”.
 Some of the values of these activities may be outlined as
stated below-
 Importance of Co-curricular Activities

 They help in developing the psycho-physical health and

hygiene of children and develop their manual and motor skills.
 These activities help to identify the native talents,
potentialities and prospects of children and help in their
effective development.
 A child develops control over his emotion and train emotional
maturity through them.
 They help in the development of mental alertness, intellectual
keenness and problem solving ability of the students.
 Importance of Co-curricular Activities

 They help in removing dullness and monotony created by the

traditional curriculum and can motivate the students to study
better.
 They provide freedom and spontaneity of self-expression and
self-realization essential for good education.
 They help in the development of moral qualities like tolerance,
reverence, will force in the children.
 They help in the development of democratic values like
friendship, leadership, cooperation etc. in the children.
 Advantages of Co-curricular Activities
 Thus, co-curricular activities have great educative value.
Educationists have argued that if these activities are properly
organized, they can prove very important for the educational
process.
 Physical Value
 Psychological Value
 Academic Value
 Social value
 Civic Value
 Advantages

 Disciplinary Value
 Moral Value
 Aesthetic Value
 Recreational Value
 Other Values
 Concluding Remarks
 Thus one can say that co-curricular activities have a great
educational significance.
 These activities cater to the development of the child’s
personality, the feeling of respect for authority, zeal for social
progress, the desire for work, draw out inherent qualities,
socialize the pupils with rich social activity etc.
 Without these activities, the school is a teaching shop, the
teachers’ remain information mongers, the pupils become
book-worm’s and education narrow down to cramming.
 Further, they also fulfill the need of self-expression and
broaden interest, promote the quality of self-control and the
ability to adjust with new situations.
Thank You