I read with interest the article “All work and no play never pays off” (June 8) by Saad Al-Dosari. I fully agree with the approach toward learning as advocated by the writer. The “all work” approach is outdated and in today’s world does not work. Truth be told, today children are far smarter than their predecessors. This smartness is the result of advancements in science and technology. The difference of opinion on the issue highlighted by the writer stems from a lack of understanding of the modern times and needs to be addressed carefully.
Instead of wasting time over unnecessary arguments, we should try to understand both viewpoints and try to come up with a balanced approach, as it is very important for the growth and development of future generations.
We should design programs at summer schools in such a way that don’t overburden children. The purpose of vacation is to help children get relaxed and get ready for the upcoming academic session. I feel that if they continue studying in the traditional manner at summer schools then what is the use of vacations. I do agree that giving them a free hand during vacations to do whatever they want is also not very healthy at this tender age. We need to strike a balance between work and play.
With the advancements in the field of technology, there are many tools that could be used to teach children various things in a fun way. People who want to see their children’s heads buried in books all the time are basically products of the era of rote learning. They still have to catch up with modern times to understand the needs of today’s world. — Raheel Ahmed, Jeddah
All work and no play
