Should students be allowed to choose which classes they take, or should they be required to take the same classes as everyone else? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each approach to education? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
When it comes to education, the East and the West have strikingly different approaches. Whereas for the Westerners, exemplified by the United States, middle and high school
students
are allowed to choose the subjects
that they wish to study about
, in the East, people take a standardised approach by equating Change preposition
apply
children
of the same age with a similar educational program nationwide. Although
each method has its own strengths and weaknesses, I am personally in favour of the Western approach because I believe that it taps into the potential of each child.
With regards to the fixed curriculum, students
are subject
to a standardised educational level, which ascertain the upbringing of a well-rounded citizen. Each student is generally well-versed in virtually all aspects of life, albeit to a limited extent, since they study natural and social sciences in equal proportions. As opposed to those that only delve into their world of mathematics or history, these students
grow up knowing how the world operates physically, chemically, and literally, thus
they are not clueless in any area. Further
, putting children
in the same program as their peers tremendously increase that sense of competition amongst their classmate, which in turns acts as a catalyst to their academic advancement. Children
, as a result
, soon learn that they need to work harder and give out their best if they do not want to be less, or worse than their friends, hence
developing admirable work ethics. Having said that, such
a high-pressure environment will eventually take its toll on students
' mental well-being. A prime example would be the increasing suicide rate in Korean students
due to societal pressure regarding their academic performance. Many Korean youths slave away at their grades for twelve years straight only to find death as the only means of escapism from such
drudgery.
As for the Western customizable curriculum, it is personalised to individual needs so that it brings out your strengths and therefore
, potentially further
your career prospect. The ability to choose which subjects
are you going to spend your twelve years on first
give you a sense of autonomy over your preference as well as your future. This
method also
motivates students
to work hard, not in a way that it pits students
against each other, but by allowing them to explore their inner-selves
and grow individually. Since Correct your spelling
inner selves
students
are not subject
to a standardized scale, they have blissfully dodged the horrifying concept of peer pressure and are able to develop in an unworried way without having to compare themselves against others. Regarding their academic advancement, they are sure to excel at and even possibly earn a living from the subjects
they love or those that fit their faculties, rather than becoming a dilettante that dabbles into every subject
and masters none. A concession has to be made, however
, because these optional curricula are certain to deviate, resulting in the fact that students
can grow up being completely ignorant of certain aspects of life, due to the subjects
that they chose not to learn about previously. Nonetheless
, educators have come up with a universal subject
that encompasses all the key know-how of life in order to combat this
emerging issue.
In conclusion, the benefits of enabling children
to customize their curricula far outweigh the method of mandating a universal program thanks to the tremendous advantages that it gives children
in both the short and long run. It is hence
imperative that Eastern countries alter their approach to education in order to increase the physical and mental well-being of our pupils.Submitted by Bao Ngoc Le on
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