We are constantly being told why kids must take subjects in school
that they obviously dislike. Someone is always promoting the benefits of forcing
kids to do what they hate. So, for fun, I found some lists. I start with things
very few kids are being forced to study which apparently would be very good for
them, and end with things kids are also forced to study because they are also
very good for them. See if you can tell who is right (and what we should make
kids do even if they hate it.) (Hint: the last one is the best (or anyway, the
funniest.))
18 Benefits of Playing a
Musical Instrument
1. Increases the capacity
of your memory.
Research has shown that both
listening to music and playing a musical instrument stimulate your brain and
can increase your memory.
2. Refines your time
management and organizational skills.
Learning how to play an instrument
requires you to really learn how to be organized and to manage your time
wisely.
3. Boosts your team
skills.
Playing an instrument requires you
to work with others to make music.
4. Teaches you
perseverance.
Learning to play an instrument
takes time and effort, which really teaches you patience and perseverance.
5. Enhances your
coordination.
The art of playing an instrument
requires a lot of hand-eye coordination.
6. Betters your
mathematical ability.
Reading music requires counting
notes and rhythms and can help your math skills.
7. Improves your reading
and comprehension skills.
When you see black and white notes
on a page, you have to recognize what the note name is and translate it to a
finger/slide position
8. Increases your
responsibility.
Maintenance and care are very
important in keeping an instrument in working condition.
9. Exposes you to cultural
history.
Music itself is history, and each
piece usually has its own background and storyline that can further your
appreciation of other cultures.
10. Sharpens your
concentration.
Playing music by yourself requires
you to concentrate on things like pitch, rhythm, tempo, note duration, and
quality of sound.
11. Fosters your
self-expression and relieves stress.
It's your instrument, so you can
play whatever you want on it!
12. Creates a sense of
achievement.
Overcoming musical challenges that
you thought you'd never quite master can give you a great sense of pride about
yourself.
13. Promotes your social
skills.
Some of the best people join bands
and orchestras, and many times the friends you make here become like family.
14. Boosts your listening
skills.
Although it's pretty obvious,
playing an instrument requires you to listen very carefully to things.
15. Teaches you
discipline.
The best musicians in the world
are masters of discipline which is why they are so successful on their
instrument.
16. Elevates your
performance skills and reduces stage fright.
The more you get up in front of
people and perform, the more you'll reduce any stage fright.
17. Enhances your
respiratory system.
Air is one of the key components
in making wonderful-sounding music.
18. Promotes happiness in
your life and those around you.
Playing a musical instrument can
be very fun and exciting.
Sounds great. Let’s make every kid learn to play an instrument.
http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/4807/golf_guide/the_top_10_life_lessons_your_child_can_learn_from_playing_golf.html
1. Humility and Respect
Golf requires that you show courtesy to others and that you
communicate with respect. with an exchange of a hand shake.
2. Punctuality
If you are late to the tee box, you are automatically disqualified, no
questions asked.
3. Confession
Golf
is a game of honor, and recognizing that a transgression has occurred and
taking responsibility for the transgression is a part of the game.
4. Safety
Golf balls and clubs are very hard and dangerous instruments, and one
of the first and foremost rules of golf is safety.
5. Quiet
Golf requires an amazing amount of concentration, and quiet is
required at all times on the golf course.
6. Visioning
Teaching them how to "see the end in mind," is a key to goal achievement.
7. Problem Solving
Rain, wind, trees, multiple sand traps, and deep rough can make for a
challenging day of tournament play. These are a normal part of golf and can be
an amazing opportunity for clever problem solving and personal growth.
8. Focus
Golf
is a tough sport. It requires that you not only know the physics of hitting the
ball (and what club to use when) but requires intense mental and emotional
concentration.
9. Practice, Persistence, and Listening
In life, it is important to know that we rarely reach our goal in one
"stroke." By practicing, making corrections along the way, being open
to coaching, and being persistent, we can tackle most of life's tough
challenges.
10. Graciousness
At
the end of each tournament, competitors thank and shake the hands of the tournament
chairmen and follow this up with a handwritten note of thanks
Wow! Who knew? Every kids should study golf.
Why do the
humanities matter?
http://shc.stanford.edu/why-do-humanities-matter
Insights
Into Everything
Through exploration of the humanities
we learn how to think creatively and critically, to reason, and to ask
questions. Because these skills allow us to gain new insights into everything
from poetry and paintings to business models and politics, humanistic subjects
have been at the heart of a liberal arts education since the ancient Greeks
first used them to educate their citizens.
Understanding
Our World
Research into the human experience
adds to our knowledge about our world. Through the work of humanities scholars,
we learn about the values of different cultures, about what goes into making a
work of art, about how history is made. Their efforts preserve the great
accomplishments of the past, help us understand the world we live in, and give
us tools to imagine the future.
Bringing
Clarity to the Future
Today, humanistic knowledge continues to provide the ideal
foundation for exploring and understanding the human experience. Investigating
a branch of philosophy might get you thinking about ethical questions. Learning
another language might help you gain an appreciation for the similarities in
different cultures. Contemplating a sculpture might make you think about how an
artist's life affected her creative decisions. Reading a book from another
region of the world, might help you think about the meaning of democracy.
Listening to a history course might help you better understand the past, while
at the same time offer you a clearer picture of the future.
That was from Stanford, so they must be right.
Every kid should study the humanities. Sounds a lot like golf though. Let’s hear from another university (that
I have never heard of, but what do I know?)
Ten Reasons to Study the Humanities
http://www.clayton.edu/humanities/Top-Ten
1.
To practice the analytical
thinking skills you need to be a successful student and employee.
2.
To improve your skill at oral and
written communication.
3.
To see the interconnectedness of
all areas of knowledge - how it all fits together.
4.
To develop a global perspective
by studying cultures throughout the world.
5.
To deepen your understanding and
appreciation of other's cultures and other's points of view.
6.
To support and strengthen your
local arts community by learning to appreciate the importance of creativity.
7.
To clarify your values by
comparing and contrasting them to what others have thought.
8.
To deepen your sources of wisdom
by learning how others have dealt with failures, success, adversities, and
triumphs.
9.
To appreciate what is enduring
and to be able to tell the difference between the meaningless and the meaningful.
10.
To be inspired by some of the
greatest minds and thoughts of the ages.
Sounds like golf and music put together. How about
algebra?
10 Everyday
Reasons Why Algebra is Important in your Life
The key to
opportunity
Having the ability to do algebra will help
you excel into the field that you want to specialize in.
Taking a detour
on not
Having the ability and knowledge to do
algebra will determine whether you will take the short cut or the detour in the
road of life.
Prerequisite
for advanced training
If you want to do any advanced training
you will have to be able to be fluent in the concept of letters and symbols used
to represent quantities.
Science
When doing any form of science, whether
just a project or a lifetime career choice, you will have to be able to do and
understand how to use and apply algebra.
Every day life
Whether we drive a car and need to
calculate the distance, or need to work out the volume in a milk container,
algebraic formulas are used everyday without you even realizing it.
Analysis
When it comes to analyzing anything,
whether the cost, price or profit of a business you will need to be able to do
algebra.
Data entry
When working on the computer with
spreadsheets you will need algebraic skills to enter, design and plan.
Decision making
Decisions like which cell phone provider
gives the best contracts to deciding what type of vehicle to buy, you will use
algebra to decide which one is the best one.
Interest Rates
How much can you earn on an annual basis
with the correct interest rate.
Writing of
assignments
When writing any assignments the use of graphs,
data and math will validate your statements and make it appear more
professional.
So, algebra teaches you everything and you can’t
function without it. But there are
all those people who can buy cell phones without it. What do I know?
What subjects should be required then? My vote is
for golf. It teaches quiet and graciousness which is better than
interconnectedness and data entry any day.
Oh wait. Here is an idea. Stop telling kids what to
study and let them follow their own interests. Nah. Too radical.
