All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy

Students should be exercising more.

Daily exercise is important as it promotes a healthy mind. A healthy mind is then better apt for learning and retaining information.

Schooling in the U.S. is plagued by the assumption that academics is the primary factor that fuels learning. It is widely believed that more hours spent studying translates to higher test scores which in turn leads to better grades. And better grades portray a presumably more intelligent student.

What is the value of good grades, however, if students are not retaining the information that they “learned” in the first place? Why bother with academics if students dispose of their education following an exam anyways? Instead of bragging about grades, why not brag about the physical fitness of our children?

Rather than encouraging study sessions and overwhelming students with homework, schools should incorporate more physical activity in their curriculum and educate students on the importance of maintaining a healthy mind and body. School should be less about academics and more about the development of the whole child. Students should have the freedom to engage their curiosities and play outside with their classmates. And learning should be informative, yet fun. Otherwise, students will find school to be a burden.