Comparing and Contrasting Active and Passive Students

Comparing and Contrasting Active and Passive Students

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Comparing and Contrasting Active and Passive Students

We have all had them in our classes at one time, or another. There are active and passive students in every class. From athletes, to bookworms, to the quiet kid in the back of the class, every student has his or her way of learning. To any student, being comfortable in the classroom is essential to his or her success. Both types of students have their similarities and differences. Active students achieve more because they are motivated, participate more, and have set higher goals for themselves.

Both types of students are similar in a few ways. They attend class together and sit right next to each other depending upon seating assignment arrangements. However, it is hard to tell an active or passive student by just looking at them. In a private school, all students wear uniforms. In a public school, it may be easier to try and figure out without uniforms, but even then, it is difficult.

Both types also socially interact with each other. Some even share the same social circle. There are passive students who seek out the help of active students, and think that they are nice to hang out with while at school. Also at school, both types of students participate in different school clubs or teams. They share a meeting space or locker room, and have leaders and coaches for their particular club or team. While there are these similarities, there are more differences between the two.

These differences start in the classroom. An active student receives good grades, whereas a passive student just does the bare minimum to pass the class. This passive student tends to be an athlete who wants to stay eligible to play his or her sport. The active student is regularly achieving excellent grades so that they can achieve a bigger goal that they are working towards. The passive student does not participate in class as much as an active student; however, that is not always the case. There are shy active students who may not speak up in class as often, and there are passive students who speak more often than they should. If there is no particular seating assignment, you will likely see an active student sitting towards the front of the class. Therefore, if the active students are in the front of the class, then the passive students are most likely in the back. This practice shows that active students are more eager to learn the material than passive students. Now, this is not every single active or passive student, but it is a consensus.

Another difference between the two is which clubs or teams a student may belong to. In my experience, most passive students are athletes. I was one of those students when I attended high school. My goal was to maintain a 2.0 grade point average, so I was eligible to participate in the sports I wanted to play. There were many fellow athletes who had the same mindset and barely stayed above the minimum requirement. Active students tend to belong to more academically focused clubs. These students typically hold a 3.0 grade point average or higher, and love being involved in school functions and activities. Belonging to a club or team helps the student develop the bigger goals that they want to work towards.

Both types of students have their own motivation and drive. Active students strive to get excellent grades whether he or she is in athletics, clubs or nothing at all. This work ethic is instilled in them by their parents when the student is younger. Once taught this, and all of the benefits of receiving good grades, the active student feels affirmation and wants to achieve more. Whereas, the passive student wants to be done with school already. He or she is just going through the motions and is ready to move on. The only problem with that is, what are they going to move on to? The drive is not even there to think about what should happen next. There are goals there, but they are easily attainable and not very challenging. They do not ask their peers or teachers for help and advice in the classroom.

Active students participate more in the classroom, and in extracurricular activities. He or she will ask and answer questions, speak up during discussions, and assist other students. They are likely part of Student Government or other academic clubs on campus. A person with this type of personality may also be part of organizations outside of school, and active in the local community. The passive student, however, does not participate in class as often as the other. He or she hopefully at least listens to the discussions and the answers to the questions in the classroom. Both types can be athletes, as long as they meet the grade requirement. The passive student is typically closer to their goal of meeting the minimum requirement and is satisfied with doing just that.

Active students set higher goals for themselves, and may consist of going to a major college and earning a degree or maybe even a doctorate. Or, once that is finished, excel in their chosen career and climb the corporate ladder as high as they can. If these students are working and going to school, like most of us in this class, they will carry an excellent work ethic. This type of student loves to learn and tries to absorb as much as they can. They have put in a great amount of practice in homework and classwork, and will continue to take these skills as high as they can go in school, and their careers. As for passive students, their goals are definitely different. For example, an athlete with tremendous talent will make it a goal to make it to a professional league and make big money there. All energy and effort is put toward this goal, and there is no thought of any sort of fallback plan. Another goal for this type of student might be just to get a decent job out of high school. Regretful decisions from the past may turn a passive student into an active student once he or she enters a higher education institute. I was that way, until I finally realized that I am not going anywhere in my career until I earn a degree.

In conclusion, active students achieve more because they are motivated, participate more, and have set higher goals for themselves. Each is their own person inside and outside the classroom. Each also has different levels of drive, motivation, and participation. Both types of students have different goals depending on where they are in life. They are similar in a few aspects and different in many others. People within the two types of students are individuals who are constantly learning, have their own personal goals to achieve, and their own life to live.