The question of "what is the most important subject or skill the schools should teach?" has never failed to attract attention from educators, school administrators and even politicians especially when it comes to subjects like technology, engineering and math. Some argue that students should be encouraged to take such classes rather than the ones they are interested in since they give them a better shot to find jobs. However, personally, I am not in favor of this position based on the following reasons.
Admittedly, it is true that courses like technology, engineering and math are very
technical, most of which can be applied in solving real world issues. However, the exposure that students have to apply these theories are very limited in class. Taking technical oriented classes will not give students a competitive edge to ensure future jobs opportunities, on the other hand, there are enormous benefits for students to take courses that they are interested in.
First off, taking courses that students are interested in can be a great motivation for them to achieve higher goals. Old saying "interest is the best teacher" remains relevant as it did a century ago. Interest serves as the internal motivation for students to explore in the area that they are interested, on the contrary, if they are forced to take courses for a utilitarian purpose, they might not keep their interest for a long time thus have a lower learning efficiency. Recent study conducted by the Society of Developmental Psychology shows that students will be more enthusiastic and passionate about learning when given the freedom to make their own choices to take classes. Also, giving students the opportunity to choose the classes they are interested in can help them to explore their real interest, thus their potential can be fully tapped before heading off for career options.
Additionally, taking courses students are interested in have enormous practical purposes and they can be a great source of leisure and relaxation. For instance, lots of students like art and music but seldom do they have a chance to learn. Actually, taking art and music classes help to develop creativity and make the students more imaginative. Actually, lots of scientific research in the psychological field shows that early exposure to art and music not only boosts academic achievement but also promotes creativity, self-confidence and school pride. Students who spend more time in learning art and music end up having higher analytical thinking and reasoning skills than those who don't.
In conclusion, taking courses that students are interested in can be a great motivation for them to achieve higher goals and it can also be a great source of leisure and relaxation.