Are electives necessary?
Electives—are they necessary for today’s world? An elective is an optional course where you can explore areas beyond the traditional academic curriculum. The society we live in is growing competitive, and just the skills you obtain from mandatory subjects won’t be sufficient enough to meet the job market’s rising stakes.
Advantages of electives:
Wellspring Saigon offers a variety of courses, ranging from programs like Spanish and AP to self-study and marketing. We believe that electives play a crucial role in today’s world, for they help students unfold and explore their future career paths. In the article “The value of electives and clubs” by Staci Krape of Stanford School, she states that “Students can opt to try a new activity for the semester, and if the engagement isn’t there, then the student has gained a valuable piece of information about what not to pursue in the future.” Electives give us the chance to grasp what we want, what we’re good at, and what major we’re most suitable for. "Since I’ve decided to take the arts seriously, I take every opportunity given to improve my skills. The elective art class here is what gives me the opportunity to approach this field.” Bội Trân from class 11.1 shares.
Aside from being an additional program that helps with career guidance, electives are a staple part of initiating new friendships. According to HealthDay.com data, researchers have found that about 7,000 students at 78 U.S. high schools were more likely to bond in smaller classes (electives). “Students who take the same set of courses tend to get to know each other very well and may focus less on social status, such as whether a person is considered "cool" or not," the author says. In Wellspring Saigon, friendships often blossom inside of non-mandatory classes, like arts or Spanish, rather than mandatory classes such as math and science. “I’ve befriended more people in my economics law course than I did in my class," says Quỳnh Đan of class 11. 2.
Downside of electives:
However, electives can become problems themselves if students don’t wisely consider which subjects they wish to study and further develop. Choosing in an indecisive manner could lead to future struggles as they realize that they don’t have the potential it takes to excel in the course. Consequently, students may find the course unnecessary and unexciting to participate in after they have started.
In the end, it is safe to say that electives play a vital role in helping students explore their abilities and strengthening student's bonds. Other than orientating and supporting their choices of major for future careers, these classes also give students the chance to connect with peers, planting the seed for lasting friendships.
