Why Most Students Study Extracurricular Activities Essay Example

physical exertion, making for much more complex and stimulating environments. Participation in sports gives children a greater sense of self being, belonging and closer social ties among students, parents, and schools (Broh, 2002). Conversely, participation in extracurricular activities in the area of performance arts (piano, dance, theater) have been more consistently related to higher grades and academic values than is participation in sports (Denault & Poulin, 2009).

A longitudinal study performed by Hughes, Cao, and Kwok (2016) at Texas Agriculture and Manufacturing University discovered significant findings that support the greater benefit of sports participation, as it pertains to students of lower socioeconomic backgrounds. This group also found that students that participate in performance arts or clubs do not experience the same degree of increased levels of prosocial norms of friends. The support that stems from these social groups is what accounts for increases in the students’ academic adequacy beliefs, sense of belonging in school, grades, and classroom behavioral engagement. The discrepancy between sports and other extracurricular activities can be attested to greater emphasis on cohesive thought and effort in team sports. For example, baseball players on defense must be able to know their teammates positions in order to know where to throw the baseball to minimize the possibility of the opposing team scoring.