Why is It Important to Follow Directions

Why is it important to follow directions? This essay  will prove that following instructions is not just an important learning skill; it is an essential life skill. Starting from coloring the correct box in preschool and going all the way to applying for social security, directions are an important part of everyone’s life. Yet, many seem to have trouble following them. As toddlers, we are told by our parents not to touch anything that could be potentially dangerous. If we don’t listen to those directions, we either get hurt or are put in “time out” to learn our lesson. Throughout childhood and the teen years, learning to follow directions needs to be reinforced all through a person’s education. Many activities have been designed for this sole purpose.

Standardized writing exams test this skill as well, as many students fail these each year due to ‘not following the directions.’ In the traditional classroom, teachers have developed non-traditional tools to demonstrate the importance of direction following. Some teachers have had students follow a recipe for a favorite age-appropriate food while purposely leaving out an important ingredient. Others have used a simple sheet of tasks numbered one through ten with activity #1 asking the students to read all of the directions before doing anything. The payoff to this lesson is task #10 that will simply say: Now that you have read all of the instructions, please go back and just complete #1 and #2. Of course, many students have jumped ahead and have already finished all of the tasks – not adhering to the first direction to read everything first.

Mathematics is one of the disciplines that youngsters struggle with, and many students struggle with it. They have difficulty reading instructions that they see as abstract, and they begin to believe that many mathematical issues are irrelevant to their daily lives. Instructions are followed by mathematics. Following instructions is an important skill to cultivate in everyday life. In an academic setting, following instructions can have an impact on grades, subject learning, and skill execution. "Failure to follow instructions, or failure to do so, can impede general learning and the development of desired proficiencies." Following instructions may appear to be as simple as reading the instructional text or paying close attention to verbal directions and then performing the intended action. Every instruction is worth reading and comprehending because it can lead to more positive changes in people or students.

So, why is following instructions so important in our day to day lives? Doing this allow us to use accountability, we need to know the process in order to correct the errors that will come along the way. One example of why following directions is important is because disasters can happen. There are natural consequences when we don’t follow directions such as plants that stopped growing, missing an ingredient for a cake, or not paying attention and inputting your cadet email address instead of your personal one. Instructions are there to help us learn and do things rights. Doing this is one of the most important skills in life because the ability to do so and the way it’s supposed to be is a recipe for success. It helps us avoid preventable mistakes that may cause costly mistakes as it pertains to law enforcement officers. This is crucial for the safety of not only the individual but also the wellbeing of others whether through the use of, firearms, officer survival, or communicating with a civilian.