Sunday 29 March 2015

Why students are not efficient at school


There have been heated debates about the reason why some students' performance is not adequate enough. Some people claim that this bad performance is due to the lack of facilities, for example un-equipped laboratories, or it is due to the poor condition of schools, such as the fact that teachers are not provided with many thought provoking methods. It is also claimed that this particular increasing phenomenon is formed because of the lack of individual incentive to work hard. As I see it, both reasons are reasonable and they both affect the pupils' inclination to be industrious.

To begin with, one significant factor which affects the distinguished performance that students ought to have is their own lack of motivation. Nowadays technology has seriously evolved and that means that it is an inevitable part of our daily lives. Students instead of mostly using the Internet for educational purpose, they make use of it in order to be entertained. For example, they communicate through social networking. Another case in point is that they are being continually distracted by television which provokes negative behaviour against studying. Furthermore, teenagers are being influenced by their "peers", a wide-spread phenomenon which is called peer pressure. That is, they inextricably adopt a whole new mentality, which is usually not in favor of doing well at school. Last but least, the psychological changes which occur during adolescents confuse teenagers and so they become unfamiliar with studying, as hey prefer to waste their time.

On the other hand though, the educational curriculum and the lack of facilities should be to blame too. Our system of education focuses too much on facts and figures without providing students with the opportunity of choosing subjects they wish they could emphasise on. Instead, vocational training and material by which moral principals (such as co-operation, tolerance etc.) can flourish, should be included in the curriculum. Apart from that, learners should be offered with many educational methods like kinaesthetic ans auditory methods, in order to make the lesson more stimulating and intriguing.Lastly, the absence of well-equipped classrooms and laboratories results in the deadly loss of interest by the good students.

On balance, I reckon that each one of of the reasons mentioned plays an important role, because it affects the amount of consolidation and individual incentives which students who perform badly are not equipped with. Schools should facilitate students and students should facilitate the egalitarian and informative school life.

Sunday 8 March 2015

Home Schooling


There has been a great deal of heated debate about home schooling. Ever since the earliest days of our system of education, many families have tried to offer their children an alternative form of education at home, home schooling, which is increasingly popular as both parents and professional teachers organise pupils' academic career.r. However, every coin has two sides and so does home schooling.

To begin with, there are many advantages of home schooling. First and foremost, the private lessons cater to the students' needs, so emphasis is laid on their potential. Therefore, students are able to consolidate material more easily, since they choose which subjects to focus on. A case in point is that the lesson is always stimulating and intriguing, on the grounds that interactive activities and innovative educational methods (for instance kinaesthetic) are being used. Moreover, not going to a traditional school means that the possibility of bullying and peer pressure is being excluded. That is, the atrocious effects of them both on individuals are avoided, of course because lessons occur with a group of two or three pupils, or just a single one. 

On the other hand, though, there are some significant disadvantages of the phenomenon. Firstly, the knowledge provided may be inadequate, as some subjects may be neglected, which is not in favor of the future undergraduates, because the National curriculum includes all topics. Apart from that, it is a time-consuming process either if the teachers are parents who are definitely not educators, or if the parents hire tutors, which leads to a huge spenditure. Another negative consequence of home schooling is that socialisation is not actually proper, as teenagers do not acquire new acquaintances (especially with "peers"). AS a result, they become alienated and socially awkward. Last but not least, not only does home schooling not provide students with moral principles, such as co-operation, respect and compromise, but it also violates the legislation although there are some "loopholes". 

Taking all this into consideration, I totally reckon that the advantages are outweighed by the disadvantages. As I see it, the most efficient form of education is a balanced combination between facts and figures offered by conventional schooling and the process of shaping character boosted by constructive discussion and material at home. 

ECPE Speaking Stage 1



  • What is your school like?, Are you happy with the education you get at your school?, Do you look forward to going back to school when your holidays come to an end?
Well, to be honest I think my school is quite underprivileged, because although there is enough space we are not provided with a variety of facilities. For instance, our laboratories are not well-equipped and our classrooms do not include cutting-edge technology to make the lesson more stimulating. However, most of the teachers are lenient and try to make the atmosphere more bearable. As for the education I get at my school, there is no doubt that the tutors have their sights set mostly on facts and figures. That is, vocational subjects are not included in the curriculum, so we are constantly studying hard in order not to flunk the exams. Lastly, I am definitely looking forward to going back to school after every holiday, because I believe it is essential that we keep in touch with our classmates. Moreover, I want to have homework again, because it motivates me and activates my brain.
  •  How long have you been studying English?, Has it been enjoyable for you?, How useful will it be in the future? 
To begin with, I've been studying English for about 8 years. Firstly, by mastering English not only do I broaden my horizons, but I also obtain valuable knowledge. Apart from that, English affects positively the way I behave and think, as I have become more cultivated. I believe it will be useful for me in the future, because I wish I become a teacher of English and because I wish I travel and live abroad. That is, I will be able to communicate with citizens of different counties on the grounds that English is the global language. To sum up, English is a very important qualification and it certainly provides individuals with valuable knowledge. 
  •  Do you have any ambitions?, What would you like to be doing in ten year's time?, How easy or hard will it be to achieve those ambitions?
First and foremost, I hope I graduate from high school with a decent grade, so I can get into University. I  would really like ti become a teacher of English. In ten year's time I imagine I will have finished my studies and if not, I will definitely have a lot on my plate. Apart from that, I would welcome the opportunity to travel, as I am fond of gathering information about other cultures. What is more, I want to find a satisfactory job, which will make me fell delighted, and which, of course, will be relevant to my qualities and qualifications. I think that my goals are not extremely easy to achieve as they require a lot of studying and patience, especially for the Panhellenic exams about which I will be too shaken up when their time comes.