essay

PART TIME JOBS

In some countries, teenagers have jobs while they are still students. Do you think this is a good idea? Support your opinion by using specific reasons and details.

Written by THUY ANH

In some countries, teenagers usually have part time jobs on vacations while they are still students. There are, however, many different opinions about this controversial issue of student’s part time jobs. Personally, I think that it is a good idea for teenagers to have jobs even when they are still at school. I will base my opinions on the following points.

First of all, when having a job, teenagers can learn to be more independent. They will become more mature as they can do something by themselves. Moreover, they can learn some skills from their work. They can learn how to make their own decisions and how to communicate or work with other people efficiently. That is the communication skills to create the human relations.

Second of all, teenagers can earn money by themselves to understand the value of money. When doing that, they will know how hard to make money and how to take care of their budget. They will be more careful/ efficient in spending money on their needs and wants. In some cases, they will record their expenses carefully to show what money coming in and out to save money. This is a good way for them to understand how they can save their money.

Last but not least, doing part time jobs is a good preparation for their future career. In fact, they can learn some special skills such as communication, management, planning and organization...from their practical work. These skills are very necessary for their jobs. Also, they may get extensive experience from their jobs to be qualified for the work environment in future. Moreover, they can practice their knowledge studied at school in real work.

To sum up, I strongly believe that doing part time jobs is good for teenagers as it is the first step for them to get success in life.
* Using a computer every day can have more negative than positive effects on your children.
Do you agree or disagree?

I tend to agree that young children can be negatively affected by too much time spent on the computer every day. This is partly because sitting in front of a screen for too long can be damaging to both the eyes and the physical posture of a young child, regardless of what they are using the computer for.

However, the main concern is about the type of computer activities that attract children. These are often electronic games that tend to be very intense and rather violent. The player is usually the ‘hero’ of the game and too much exposure can encourage children to be self-centred and insensitive to others.

Even when children use a computer for other purposes, such as getting information or emailing friends, it is no substitute for human interaction. Spending time with other children and sharing nonvirtual experiences is an important part of a child's development that cannot be provided by a computer.

In spite of this, the obvious benefits of computer skills for young children cannot be denied. Their adult world will be changing constantly in terms of technology and the Internet is the key to all the knowledge and information available in the world today. Therefore it is important that children learn at an early age to use the equipment enthusiastically and with confidence as they will need these skills throughout their studies and working lives.

I think the main point is to make sure that young children do not overuse computers. Parents must ensure that their children learn to enjoy other kinds of activity and not simply sit at home, learning to live in a virtual world.
GROUP STUDY

Learning is, undoubtedly, essential to all of students. However, how to learn effectively and successfully remains a big question. Actually, each student has different strengths and different learning styles to match their strengths. Some believe that studying alone is better. However, others prefer to study in group because of certain advantages.

First of all, working in group can help to make students more involved and active. Students can share ideas or information with each other and work together more effectively. For example, each student may have different knowledge or ideas. While discussing in group, they can share and reach an agreement on the topic. As a result, students may, on the whole, get what they expect.

Secondly, it helps students improve their responsibility. In group or in pair, each of them should have separated work to do, and is supposed to fulfill it on schedule. Otherwise, the group work can hardly be finished. Accordingly, they themselves have to try their best to reach the group’s target.

Last but not least, working in group can make students feel secure and free. Actually, some students are not confident enough to express themselves in public - a class, for example. On the other hand, working in a small group of close friends, they may feel more confident to give a presentation. We can say with no doubt that group work not only gives them a chance to show their opinion, but also frees them from fear.

In short, studying in group is a good way of learning. It helps students know how to work effectively and get their success in work. Thanks to group work, students can also get more knowledge and responsibility.