Gaining Experience Outside the Classroom

By Jessica Ovitz
Manager, School Programs

While it is certainly important to encourage your child to do well in school, there is no greater teacher than life itself. The experience that can be gained outside the classroom is just as critical to fostering not only the well-rounded student that colleges crave, but the well-rounded person you wish to send out into the world.

There are a number of options for high school and college students make their learning outside of the classroom more effective. Allowing your child to study abroad is a guaranteed life changing experience. In a world more globally intertwined than ever, it is even more important that students be exposed to different cultures and ways of living. In order to cultivate open minds and promote the ability to look at life from different perspectives, travel abroad is one of the most effective ways in doing that. It isn’t uncommon for kids to return from their trips with a much more mature attitude and an open-minded, self-empowered new outlook on life. Whether it’s a study abroad or a foreign exchange program, either route will be effective and result in a wiser, more seasoned student.

Another great way to teach these same lessons at home is by encouraging volunteerism. There are plenty of opportunities for students to look outside themselves by volunteering in their own communities. Organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and Meals on Wheels are great places to get started in looking for possible volunteer matches. If your child is 18 years and older, they could look into dedicating a year or two of service with programs such as AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps. These are excellent ways to give back to a community either at home or abroad and make a hands-on difference in the world.

I, myself, was fortunate enough to spend a year working with AmeriCorps in Minneapolis, organizing after-school clubs and summer programming for low-income, inner city youth as a way to keep the kids doing something productive in their free time. I made strong connections with my kids over the year and was very touched by the feeling that I had a positive impact on their lives. Beyond simply gaining rewarding experience, AmeriCorps volunteers are given an education award at the end of their year(s) of service that can be used for payment of school loans and/or tuition for school. In the end, not only would your child gain a new perspective from working with people who are less fortunate then they are, but they also would receive a cash award to be used for educational purposes.

However you choose to do it, it’s important to be encouraging students to think outside the box and actively pursue ways in which they can learn beyond the classroom. The lessons they pick up from these experiences will go a long way towards teaching the student how they can apply their schooling to real life scenarios. The student who can effectively make the connection between what they learn in the classroom and how it can be applied in the real world will truly be the most prepared for college and the working world.

Article Copyright LifeBound

2004