Extracurricular Education In China.

The early months of 2020 saw the Chinese ministry of education implement double reduction policies to ease the burden of excessive homework, off-campus tutoring on students and promote a higher birth rate. These policies have affected teaching jobs in China and forced many private schools to adapt to the ‘harsh’ reality. 

To embrace the new policies, schools in China have introduced various extracurricular activities, which are turning out to be a unique and rewarding experience for both the students and the teachers.

Extracurricular education or activities is a form of teaching in China. Teachers utilize various resources to ensure that students learn productive activities and lessons not falling within the scope of the regular curriculum. For example:

1. Music
2. Culture & Art
3. Sports

Extracurricular education aims to improve students’ lives in different aspects – mentally, physically, and emotionally. The introduction of extracurricular education in schools has been beneficial so far. This article will give you an insider’s grasp of extracurricular education in China.

Types of Extracurricular Education in China.

As new policies aim to boost the quality of education in China, many schools are embracing extracurricular activities to improve school life and the students’ life in general. Students get the flexibility to pick up the classes according to their interests. Here are some activities out of the regular curriculum in primary and middle school:

1. Music

Music is one of the everyday activities that students love to do. Lessons include violin, piano, and cello. Some of these music lessons are competitive as most of them help steer students to good high schools. Children earn awards, certificates, and pride to showcase to family and friends. 

2. Culture and Art

Cultural and artistic activities include drama, dance, calligraphy & painting art display. These activities are famous for allowing students to discover talents they didn’t know they had. For example, before extracurricular education, many students concentrated on academics only, and this strategy limited the options and forced all students to focus on only one thing – academics.

Extracurricular activities, though, have expanded the learning options. Even though cultural dances and art activities are not part of the regular curriculum, many students have enjoyed performing and exploring art. This has, in turn, helped them develop their skills and discover a talent they didn’t know they had. Furthermore, many students have improved their self-esteem by performing for audiences.

3. Sporting Activities.

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” 

Sporting activities have been a great way to improve the social well-being of students. Regardless of the sport, the importance of sporting activities in schools in China cannot go unnoticed. Activities such as football matches, badminton, and basketball matches have turned out to be fun and boost interaction among students in general. 

Other sporting activities in schools include swimming, rugby, and taekwondo. These activities are free to join, and students participate in whatever they feel comfortable. In some cases, students can enrol in more than one activity so long as they consider the rules and regulations in place.

The Importance of Extracurricular Education In China.

Extracurricular activities have played a significant role in the lives of many students in China. Some advantages include:

1. Improved self-esteem for students.

Before the ministry of education in China put policies in place, students had too much work and little to no playtime. This is stressful in many ways, including a lack of interaction with peers. However, Extracurricular education has encouraged students to interact with peers from different schools during competitions. These interactions have played a significant role in promoting students to speak up, which has, in turn, improved their self-esteem.

2. Extracurricular education has promoted teamwork.

Students have learned about teamwork by participating in different sporting activities. Such knowledge can be directed to class to encourage students to solve tasks together. Some students learn and grasp information quicker and better than others. The more competent students can take advantage of teamwork and help the slower students understand what is taught in the regular curriculum. 

3. Extracurricular education has helped students nurture new talent.

Whether it is music, dancing, painting, drawing, or cultural performances, many students have discovered a talent that they didn’t even know they had. For example, some students have found music unique, while others have embraced dancing, and others shine and take pride in sporting activities. Noticing such talent is hard when all the time is spent in the regular curriculum alone.

4. Improved student-teacher relationship.

Extracurricular education is a significant factor in developing a great rapport between the teachers and the students. While communicating in regular classes can be challenging, many students have found it easy to interact with their teachers in a more social setting like the football pitch or the music auditorium. When teachers take time to participate in the same activities as students, there is collective involvement which makes the extracurricular fun in many ways. This, in turn, develops trust between the teachers and the students.

Controversies of Extracurricular Education In China.

Some research has found extracurricular education controversial and begs whether it serves all the students equally. Here are a few points to note:

1. Cultural factors and the structure of the education system limit China’s extracurricular activities.

2. Studies conducted in Western contexts have found that organized extracurricular activities do not directly or indirectly benefit students’ academic performance.

3. Socioeconomic status and school rank are related to students’ likelihood to participate in extracurricular activities in China.

Conclusion.

Even though there have been controversies on extracurricular education in China, the activities seem to be bringing more good than bad. Students are benefiting significantly, which translates to easing the pressure on parents. As new policies are picking up, the idea of extracurricular education is something that many schools should consider.