Education

Importance of Sports in Schools

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Importance of Sports in Schools

Importance of Sports in School: Sports, as in any subject, should be a part of the regular curriculum in schools. Many schools do include sports in their curriculum and conduct regular exams and other evaluation methods just like any other subject, but there are also n numbers of schools who neglect the importance of sports in their curriculum.

Sports, in most parts of the developing world, unfortunately, is just considered a past time, secondary priority and career of last resort. And the result of this can easily be seen in the health figures in those respective countries. Countries like China, Japan, Australia or the USA which give priority to sports as much as to any other courses have better population health statistics than other countries that neglect sports

Imagine if the alma mater of Rafal Nadal or Rahul Dravid or An Kumble had neglected sports and worse, discouraged them from taking it as their career option. The face of football or tennis or cricket would have been different by now.

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Sports in School – So let us discuss why sports should be made mandatory in schools

Why sports is important in education?

  • Mental and physical health

    Sports helps in maintaining a balance between both physical and mental health for the students. Students will be under stress during the course of their curriculum for various reasons like exams, assignments or project submission, peer pressure, competition, bullying, fights etc., T

    To overcome all these and lead a healthy lifestyle, it is important for schools to include sports and fitness into their curriculums.

  • Good career

    It is not crazy to dream about your child being the next Sachin Tendulkar or Lionel Messi. Especially in countries like India, it has become a matter of stigma to pursue a career in sports, which is a dangerous precedent

    A career in sports is a dream for every kid and with enough support and motivation from parents and schools alike, every student with hard work and dedication can achieve that dream. Competition is, of course, high, but then again, which career option is without any competition? Let your kids pursue his or her dream because what’s the point of success if there are no hurdles in that path to achieve it.

  • Team spirit

    Most of the sports like cricket or football involve playing in teams. A kid needs to be thought about how to be a team player as well as a team leader. Mingling with other kids, playing together without individualism and making sacrifices and achievements and finally tasting the success of victory, as one strong team inculcates team values in children

    Team spirits are important for kids to have because as they grow up, they will have to work with people from different walks of life and good team spirits will help them sail through difficult stages, easily.

  • Learn time management and discipline

    Constructive use of time and discipline is a major characteristic of any sportsperson. If a student plays a sport, he/she needs to show the commitment of time to be in a particular place at a particular time every day as a part of their routine.

    He/she must be patient, disciplined which will enable the student to cope with criticism and setbacks. Each sport has a set of rules and regulations to be followed which helps the students to stay fit and disciplined.

  • Boost self-confidence

    Having that touchdown, scoring a goal, hitting a six or winning a race not only makes a student happy but also it boosts their confidence. Performing in front of a crowd which is constantly noticing your each and every move can be quite unnerving. But a sportsperson is one with focus, patience, the right amount of confidence having a never-say-die attitude.

    Playgrounds are apt places for students to improve their self-confidence and morales. Because in playgrounds, it is pure competition and team learnings, and most importantly, playgrounds are the favourites place for any student in the school campus.

What are the different kinds of sports that can be included in the school’s curriculum?

There are plenty of team sports as well as individual sports. A mix of both is important for the children’s all-round development.

So let us divide this into two categories

What are the team sports that students should play?

  1. Sports in Schools – Cricket

    Cricket is usually played with a team of 11 (14 including substitutes) on either side. Cricket is usually called the gentleman’s game because even if it’s a team game, it requires good planning and patience from the individual level. Right from bowling to batting to wicket keeping and fielding, it requires good analysis of your own team as well as that f the opposition’s team.

    Cricket is an apt game of students to play in their school life because of it teaches thems patience, planning and importance of team performance over individual performances.

    Strategy building, decision making, leadership skills, team spirits are some of the attributes children will learn through this game.

  2. Sports in Schools – Football

    One of the most popular games across the world has many valuables lessons to teach its fans. The lessons that a game of football can teach students, can never be thought within the confines of the four walls of a classroom.
    Some of the valuable life lessons that football can teach are

    Work hard but play smart
    b. Team player over being a team leader
    c. Do not run with the ball until you have caught it which teacher much about over-confidence
    d. Play through the pain
    e. Keep your opponent honest and balance your attack.

  3. Sports in Schools – Volleyball

    Volleyball is the best example of the importance of football for students. Not only does it require extreme physical stress, but it also involves mental stress as well. The many lessons that student can learn through volleyball are:

    Falling is necessary to win.
    b. You can’t hit the cross every time because failure is the stepping stone for success.
    c. Be humble when you win- volleyball players are known to be extremely friendly and humble with their opponents which is an important trait the children should learn.
    d. Practice makes a man perfect.

  4. Relay

    This game involves passing the baton from one player to next in a running track, which can involve four to five players and the team that reaches the winning mark first is declared as the winner.

    This is a perfect example of teamwork. This game involves good planning and analysis for your team’s weaknesses and strengths.

  5. Koko and Kabbadi

    A typical desi Indian game is full of aggression and winning spirits
    While cricket might be a gentlemen’s game, both Kokko and Kabbadi requires aggression and muscle power to win

    Teaching aggression and hardcore winning spirits for students is important to survive in the increasingly competitive world.

What are the individual sports that students should play:

  1. Sports in Schools – Tennis and Badminton

    Individual games like tennis or badminton help students learn the importance of individualism and self-reliance

    Students have complete control over the quality of their performance. There are no team members to blame; they shoulder the responsibility for the outcome, just like in life.

    They need to aware of their weaknesses and strengths and that of their opponent player’s to win the game. Games like these help students be accountable to their own actions and face failure or success in their own terms.

  2. Chess

    This is a type of sports that does not require any muscle power but requires an immense amount of brainpower. Chess is a game that should be made mandatory in the school curriculum because it improves critical thinking and logical thinking ablates of students.

    This game helps them improve their planning and long term strategizing abilities which are a trait that is very important to survive and succeed in life.

  3. Athletics/Swimming

    These are another example of individual games that require mental and physical agility to win. The sport is built on a million small and big opportunities for failure.

    Getting accustomed to failure and learning how to handle it well is what success is built upon- loads and loads of failure. The greatest champions have lost far more than they’ve succeeded, but we’re in awe of all of their success.

We have mentioned certain great sporting personalities across the world, which can be a source of motivation for children:

  • Usain Bolt

    He is the fastest man alive. If that doesn’t define his greatness, nothing ever will. Bolt ran 100 mts in the Berlin Olympics in a record 9.58 seconds at the speed of 44.72 km/hr.

  • Roger Federer

    Roger Federer is the greatest there is, the greatest there was and the greatest there ever will be. Don’t trust my words. But trust the numerous records the man had set on his path to greatness for more than 2 decades.

  • Lionel Messi

    There is nothing that has to be said about the man that hasn’t already been said. Messi is a God. And damn, he does work in mysterious ways, be it around a bunch of defenders or chipping over Manuel Neuer!

  • Christiano Ronaldo

    The fact that you knew his name would follow Messi in this list is a testament to his greatness. This man has done everything, won everything and has the fitness of a 20-year-old. The debate about who is better shall always live on, but despite all that bitterness, we must not forget to be glad about the fact that we got to have a debate like that!

  • Sachin Tendulkar

    With 34, 357 runs and a 100 centuries in 782 international games spanned over a career of 24 years, Sachin Tendulkar is the undisputed GOAT. And we are so glad to have watched him play. And it’s not just that he scored those runs, it’s how and when he scored them.

  • Michael Phelps

    This guy has literally competed with a shark! That’s how damn good he is. He is so good, he could beat Aquaman and still win another Olympic medal while he is at it. And even if he doesn’t, he would still be walking around with 28!

  • Virat Kholi

    Virat is not only the greatest batsman of this generation, but he is also the leader of an exceptionally gifted squad, that fueled by his ferocity and conviction is doing things that no other Indian team has ever done.

  • Michael Jordan

    Even if you’ve never watched basketball, you’ve heard of him. He was the greatest of his generation and popularized the NBA across the world in the 80s and the 90s. He’s won 6 championships, is a 10 time NBA scoring champion, never lost in the finals and once scored 38 points while he had the flu!

How to Make Mind Map for Studying?

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How to Make Mind Map for Studying

How to Make Mind Map for Studying: A mind map is an analytical tool used by design thinkers, engineers, business houses and various other individuals and entities to chalk out a strategy and analysis for the future course of action.

This tool is thought to business students in top B-Schools to analyze effectively various aspects of businesses and their strengths and weaknesses. It is thought to designers, engineers, architects, doctors and various other professionals because of the extent of its impact in planning and analysis.

Hence, let us answer some basic questions for you regarding mind maps.

What is a mind map?

Basically mind map is a drawing or a graphical representation, mostly handwritten one, but there are software and tools that can generate them digitally. It is an easy way to brainstorm thoughts organically without worrying about order and structure. It allows you to visually structure your ideas to help with analysis and recall.

A mind map is a diagram for representing tasks, words, concepts, or items linked to and arranged around a central concept or subject using a non-linear graphical layout that allows the user to build an intuitive framework around a central concept. A mind map can turn a long list of monotonous information into a colourful, memorable and highly organized diagram that works in line with your brain’s natural way of doing things.

A mind map mainly consists of three components:

How to Make Mind Map for Studying

  • Subject
  • Ideas
  • Sub-ideas

Mind Map for Studying| Five traits of a mind map

  • The main subject is crystallized in the central image
  • The theme of the subject radiates from the central image, into various branches, usually into four or five branches
  • The branches comprise a key image or keyword which is drawn or printed on its associated line
  • Topics or sub-ideas or in the chronology of the theme which is of relatively lesser importance are represented as ‘twigs’ of the relevant branch
  • All these branches form a connected nodal structure hence forming a perfect mind map

Mind Map for Studying| Why is mind map important?

There are various benefits in using the mind mapping tool, some of which are:

  • Creativity and productivity

    Mind mapping increases your creative skills and enhances your productivity because this tool helps you generate different ideas and formulate in a graphical structure. This helps in identifying relations and connecting the dots in a well-structured manner. Different data and information are connected and analyzed well with the help of mind maps.

  • Clear thinking

    Making a mind map is an excellent way for you to be able to sort through your thoughts and ideas. This activity allows you to quickly generate creative and even unique ideas in less time. It gives you the freedom you need when brainstorming so that the flow of ideas is not blocked or hampered as linear thinking does.

  • Organizing

    This method effectively helps you in organizing and categorizing the various ideas you have in mind. This separation of ideas can help you strategize clearly without any overlaps and confusion.

    Making connections is easier to do because you have all the information about a particular topic in a single glance. It can even help you discover new relationships among seemingly unrelated ideas and information.

  • Memory retention

    The use of colours, images, and keywords in mind mapping aids in enhancing your memory and retention. Isn’t it easier to remember information this way rather than reading long sentences? The use of colours, images, and keywords also help make learning more interesting and fun so you become more motivated to remember important details.

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Mind Map for Studying | Steps in mind mapping for studying

The following steps need to be followed to form a mind map for studying, for students

  1. Think of your general main theme and write that down in the centre of the page. i.e. Study. Or if you are preparing mind map for a particular subject, say Mathematics, then the main subject of your mind map or the central theme can be Mathematics.
  2. Figure out sub-themes of your main concept and draw branches to them from the centre, beginning to look like a spider web. These subtopics can be anything varying from the way you study to topics within the subject. The whole objective here is to put your thought process onto paper.
  3. Make sure to use very short phrases or even single words- This is done so as to not complicate the mind map. A mind map should be visually acceptable to read.
  4. Add images to invoke thought or get the message across better- Because images and use of colours have more memory retention power than sentences and phrases.
  5. Try to think of at least two main points for each sub-theme you created and create branches out to those

Mind Map for Studying| The objective behind following these steps are:

  • Improve reading comprehension
  • Benefit students achievement levels
  • Enhance thinking and learning skills
  • Increase retention
  • Support cognitive learning theory

Mind Map for Studying| In education, mind mapping is used for various purposes like:

  • Brainstorming sessions
  • Data visualization
  • Improving critical thinking
  • Writing and reading aptitude
  • Advanced research papers or graduate projects
  • Reporting, documentation, preparation and analysis
  • Client or project presentations

Mind mapping is not just used for studies.
There are plenty of application for mind maps, some of which are

Uses of mind mapping in general

  • Idea generation:

    A mind map is the best tool for generating an idea
    From brainstorming ideas to body storming and design thinking, mind mapping helps you jot down ideas in a visually pleasable manner.

  • Retention from books and articles

    Most people complain that they quickly forget what they read. However, there’s a way to remember and retain more of the books and articles that you read. You can achieve this by creating a mind map each time that you read something that you find informative or helpful.When you’re reading a book, the branches of the mind map can be the chapter headings of the most important chapters. Then, write down the main ideas of each chapter as subheadings. Third level branches can include examples, quotes, and even your own comments on what you just read. In the fourth level, you can write down ideas on action steps that the book or article has inspired you to take

  • Use Mind Maps For Problem Solving

    Any problem, from business to engineering to academics, mind mapping helps give us the right direction to find the solution. Since the structure of mind map is designed such a way that there is a central image which is connected to branches and twigs in a nodal manner, it is easier to visualize a solution for each of the problems indicated in the branches radiating from the central node. Some of the questions we can easily find an answer to, using mind mapping are:
    What?

    When?

    Where?

    Why?

    How?

    Who?

  • Use Mind Maps to Take Notes During Meetings

    When you’re at an office meeting, do the following:

    Write the purpose of the meeting in the centre of the page.

    Each agenda item will be represented as one of the main branches on your mindmap (get the agenda ahead of time, if you can).
    As the meeting progresses, add sub-branches to each agenda item with the main points discussed for each item (ideas, facts, budget, who is going to do what, and so on).
    Draw pictures and interlink items.

  • Life goals

    Mind mapping technique can be used both in the professional world as well as for your personal space. Setting life goals, objectives, day to day tasks, finding personal ambitions, family problems.s etc., are some of the issues that can be tackled using mind mapping principals.The user can also include travel, adventures, family, contributions, career, finances, and so on. Each one of these will be one of the branches of your mind map provided the family is the central node. Specific problems can be addressed by making those particular problems your central node and forming branches around it.

  • Writing

    You can become the next William Shakespeare or Robert frost, all thanks to mind mapping. If you are an avid writer and aspire to write a novel someday, then the use of mind mapping can help you accelerate the process.

    Put your story’s tentative title, or the genre, in the middle of the page. Your branches can be the following: Setting; Characters; Conflict; Theme; Plot; Scenes; and Point of View. The “Character” branch–for example–can be further broken down by creating a sub-branch for each character.

    Then, create third-level branches by creating a character profile for each character. You can write down things such as the following: Age; Appearance; Occupation; Income; Education; Special Characteristics; Strengths; Flaws; and so on.

There are many great tools, and software in the market out there to help you organize your thoughts and then automatically export them to an easy-to-read, ordered list.

While it is possible to mind map the old-fashioned way with a pen and paper, why not take advantage of the technology age and save yourself some much needed time?

The mind map is the external mirror of your own radiant or natural thinking facilitated by a powerful graphic process, which provides the universal key to unlock the dynamic potential of the brain.