Mark Boatman

Journal – Extracurricular Activities

Extra-curricular activities have always played an important role in my life. I believe there is a direct link between active participation in the community and living a successful life, both when in school and beyond.

In high school I was involved in wrestling and natural helpers. The sport I favored most was wrestling because although it was a one-on-one sport where the effort I put in directly related to a positive or negative result, the team goal was still of utmost importance. I learned that individual effort and hard work strengthened the unity and achievement of the entire team. This is similar to what a teacher experiences, in that when in a cooperative environment where teachers work in collaboration rather than competition, the educational goals of the entire school are more attainable, which ultimately fosters a better environment for student learning

Throughout my college career at the University of Idaho I was involved in many different extra-curricular activities, both related to school and the community. While attending U of I, I became a member of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity and held various leadership positions, where I was involved in strengthening the community, the fraternity, and those around me. Some of these positions included social chair, philanthropy chair, and Vice President. As Vice President I worked as a liaison between my fraternity and other fraternal organizations. As philanthropy chair one of my duties was encouraging involvement in our charity events as well as others across the University. One charity event that our fraternity brought to the community was Relay for Life. Another extra-curricular activity that I was very enthusiastic about was the role of Recruitment Chair for the Interfraternity Council at the University of Idaho. I served two years in that role, and my responsibilities included managing freshmen fraternal recruitment for the Greek system. In this role I was able to take a leadership position among my peers. An important part of the IFC position was interacting with not only future and fellow students, but with University officials and parents. I learned quickly that I had to wear many “hats” and work in conjunction with many different groups of people.

As a new teacher, I will probably be called upon to participate in activities outside of the normal school hours, such as a family-night, or school concert, or sporting event. These sorts of extra-curricular activities should not be thought of as a burden and outside of teacher duties, but rather as an opportunity to interact with students, or parents, and show support for the school. It is important that teachers stay active in the community and be wiling to contribute his/her time, money, and efforts to the nearby community. An effective teacher is able to balance professional duties with active participation in the community.