When I think back to my youth, I can't help but think of the vast opportunities for greater knowledge and the enjoyment of the arts, music, shop classes, sports programs, and field trips that most schools used to provide. Although I didn't fully appreciate them at the time, these were very beneficial programs. Sadly, these seem to be almost non-existent nowadays. I've felt for a long time a great disappointment in how we, as a country, spend so much money on seemingly frivolous activities, yet fail to adequately finance education for those we claim to love: Our Children. While "The Three Rs" are tremendously important, most of us would probably agree there are benefits of not focusing only on this narrow subject matter. The enormous benefits of helping to develop a well-rounded child through a variety of classes in non-core subjects should not be underestimated.
Obviously, in an ideal world, school districts wouldn't need to obsess about maintaining high test scores for the sake of maintaining funding levels. We could offer much more of a vast array of educational opportunities to help our children achieve their dreams. And, in fact, this is what we should be doing!
On a personal level, I’ve witnessed children facing the prospect of not being able to continue in their Drama or other arts classes due to scheduling conflicts presumably arising from a focus on core classes and limited budgets for anything else. Some of these children may be excelling in all of their other classes and may even be honor students. But, they may be forced into Engineering classes (and other currently popular STEM-related classes) simply because their preferred Drama or arts classes conflict with “core” classes.
Now, I'm sure some of their peers would prefer Engineering and Math over Drama or other arts classes. But, I can't help but feel it would be a terrible shame if they were not permitted to continue in the classes they love. Obviously, private after-school and/or weekend classes may appear to be a viable option. But, we can't expect every family to be in a position to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year in order to provide their children opportunities beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Would any adult be expected to fully enjoy work in which they had little interest and without being able to enjoy their true passions? Why do we offer our children any less than what we expect for ourselves? Not every child wants to grow up to be a scientist or a mathematician! During early childhood education, we often encourage our children to explore a wide variety of things so they may discover their passions in life. How ironic it is that we now underfund programs which may help our children follow their passions and become more inspired. Offering our children some control over their own destinies will likely serve them well into the future. In addition, electives may offer a break in the school day, offer moments of relaxation, and less stress than some core classes. Maybe this would help our children appreciate and thrive in those classes which they find less enjoyable (algebra anyone?). As they say, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."
It's contradictory to claim we want our children to seek out their passions and then, when they are aware of what they want to achieve, to place roadblocks to their dreams. However unintentional these roadblocks may be, they remain roadblocks. I can't help but wonder how many children are out there having their passions stifled and their progress impeded by well-meaning adults. What a shame! In the case of some children, potentially being "re-routed" into classes we adults deem best for them simply because these classes relate to currently in-demand jobs would prove to be the antithesis of the life goals of some children and would provide zero opportunity for their creative expression. To have students who are clear on their career plans in more creative fields be forced to take only "STEM" classes would be highly counterproductive. If our children are not offered classes related to what they're interested in or what they love, how can we expect them to thrive as they progress towards high school and college? If not now, when?
Many attribute the reduction of elective classes to the "No Child Left Behind" act which focuses solely on core subjects. However, we cannot continue to offer children little more than core academic classes, send them off to do their homework for these same core classes, and continue to cut back on programs which may help them grow and develop interests in more artistic or creative endeavors.
Must children now wait until college to take classes they enjoy? Must elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools become 'barren wastelands' offering only years and years of analytical thought and taking test after test after test (punctuated with daily homework assignments?)? If so, we shouldn't be surprised when more and more students fail and become high school dropouts. Even worse, it may be too late for them to develop any sense of purpose after thirteen years of punishing coursework. If we can't offer interesting and engaging subject matter and electives which tap into our children's passions and which capture our children's imaginations, we shouldn't be surprised if we turn out a generation of the highly uninspired.
The benefits of elective courses are not only in the academic arena, but have been proven to help students socially and behaviorally as well. Case-in-point: according to World Music Central and the Texas Commission on Drug and Alcohol Abuse “Secondary students who participated in band or orchestra reported the lowest lifetime and current use of all substances (alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs).”
I would urge all parents to become more involved with teachers, school administrators, and their legislators to help advocate on behalf of their children. We must respect our children and provide them no fewer opportunities to thrive than we had and enjoyed when we were their age. By providing them greater access to programs which will help broaden their horizons, we give them the best chance for happiness and success in life.
