Active vs. Passive Students

AP English Language and Composition | Active vs. Passive Students | Compare and Contrast |

Dominic Manshadi
9/8/2012
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Compare and Contrast: Active vs. Passive Students
The norm of our society is that the front is always better. We always try to get to the front of a line first, we always want to be in the front on a roller coaster ride, and our parents always reminded us to sit in the front of a classroom on the first day of instruction. But why is the front of a classroom always a point of interest for our parents? Well the front of the classroom is filled with active students. Active students generally do better in school; they work much harder than passive students do because an active student fully participates in their course whereas passive students sit in the back of the class indolently watching the clock.
The more active a student is, the more likely the student will achieve their goal. Their goals can be educational like high test scores in math, science, social studies, and language or, they can be more of a physical achievement like in football, water polo, soccer, and basketball. Because of this strive for achievement, the personality of an active student is most likely to be highly competitive, controlling, and determined. The active student is more of an overachiever that is always turning in things on time even if it means they will have to forfeit sleep. They pursue academic excellence for themselves or for another entity such as their parents. Active students accomplish this with intense studying habits which they exert a large amount of energy on, enrollment in extra-curricular activities and avoiding much of the extreme social behavior such as, late night parties and sexual activities. All of these coincide to produce a student who will most likely succeed in life or obtain a highly valuable scholarship. The personality, energy, and involvement of an active student is the complete opposite from that of a passive student.
As a passive student, one may generally fail to find enjoyment or satisfaction from school and education. This behavior can affect a students’ future because it will also affect how well a student succeeds in school. They will attempt to pass a class but are not too worried about obtaining a high grade point average. A passive student is more relaxed, has no sense of pressure, is very easy going, and patient. Although the passive student will turn in assignments on time, they will be sure to take time to relax. Sometimes starting the assignment the day before it’s due, even if it was assigned a week ago. A passive student is also a student who takes many shortcuts, is usually late to their classes, and tries to finish school without applying themselves to the best of their ability. Their school work reflects on their behavior since they put the least amount of time and energy that is virtually possible to pass the class. Even though the passive student is the complete opposite of an active student, I’m sure both of them would enjoy relaxing once in a while.
Active students and passive students may be completely different from each other; however, they both are students and they equally know that their future is brighter with at least a high school diploma. And even though the passive student would rather take a shortcut method, he/she would still complete it along with the active student. Both of these students are completely different from an apathetic student who will never even try! Active students generally do better in school; they work much harder than passive students for reasons being that passive students sit in the back of the class indolently daydreaming. But most importantly, active students fully participate in their course. But what if, the active student took care of themselves and made sure to get enough rest to avoid being exhausted, and what if the passive student made more of an effort to be on time, pass all exams, and took notes? What would happen then?