School is not only for knowledge and skill in education, but also is asked to try to reach a harmonious development of human ability and to raise man as a whole man. Therefroe so-called extra-curricular activities which were neglected in the past as s...
School is not only for knowledge and skill in education, but also is asked to try to reach a harmonious development of human ability and to raise man as a whole man. Therefroe so-called extra-curricular activities which were neglected in the past as student astivities of their own in school education are placed as regular courses of the curriculum. This is not only a reform of curriculum construction, but also is coming up as an important task to examine the character of school education from different angle.
For the past 20 years extra-curricular activities have been established as regular courses in primary and high school curriculum in this country. However extra-curricular activities are not working out effetively and are assuming the role of a stepchild since they are blocked by many difficulties. It is not just an unhappy situation but a tragic weak point of school today, as Dewey said.
Therefore, this paper is an attempt to find out the meaning of extra-curricular actiwivies from the view point of shaping man which is the purpose of today's schools, and to find out the theoretical foundations for reorganizing and reemphasizing the various aspects of school education. There are many reasons why extra-curricular activities in the education of this country make very slow progress. Among them are expansion of school and calss size, over load for teacher and insufficient facilities. Among these the main factor for the neglect of extra-curricular activities in high school is the emphasis put on passing the entrance examination. All the study is only study of test books. This over-heated education solely aimed at passing entrance examinations suffocates not only freedom of research and the poirit of criticism, but also encourages an unsound competitive spirit.
As a result, student's body build today is improved physically but physical strength is weakened. Also the unusually individualistic and competitive trend in the course of study encourages not only as egoistic mind and discourages a cooperative spirit, but also results in anti-democratic personality formation. Nevertheless, even intellectual education is not taking place satisfactorily.
Even though school education heavily emphasizes learning of text books, it can not take care of knowledge which is expanding explosively.
Therefore, school education today is asded to put much efforts on principle and basic education of knowledge by the theory of course of study construction in whole curriculum process.
In order to develop citizens suited for a democratic society, a cooperative spirit and creative ability should be developed through club activities, student body activities and joint problem solving for common problems, the value system of a citizen in a democratic society should be developed by means of undergoing independent experiences. Here is the reason why whole school experience builds up with tow parts, subject matter area and extra-curricular activity area. Therefore curriculum (subject matter) area and extra-curricular activity do not have dual character. The school experience should shape citizens for a democratic society, who have an organic and completely unified relationship between the two areas of academic courses and extra-curricular activities. It is vital that schools-with the above needs and requirements-must be prepared to manage extra-curricular activities normally. This is since extra-curricular activities has a rather heavy weight along with subject matter in raising today's citizens.
It is provided as a life and activity space to make up one way education of subject matter learning which results many weak points. Therefore extra-curricular activities along with subject matter learning contributes to raising man as a whole man. This is the basis for emphasizing extra-curricular. activities along with the course of study and for synthesizing the two. Extra-curricular activity in school education should not be placed in a less important position but together with the course of study in curriculum.
In this point of view etra-curricular activities shojld be as an integrel part of a student's school experience aimed at producing not merely academic man, but a totally educated man.