Describe a subject you didn't like in high or secondary school You should say:
What subject it is? Why you didn't like it?
Sample:
The subject I disliked in high school was Mathematics, in which I believed I had not much talent.
Math was a bit hard for me, but I did it well until the time my Math teacher introduced the concept of function. I was impressed of the relation between variables X and Y, and more confused of how to figure out their relation by the aid of the special graphs in the coordinate. What's worse, an experience
made me lose confidence in Mathematics.
That day, I made many mistakes in Math exercise, which my teacher thought I coulddo better, so I was asked to correct the exercise on the spot. At that time, it's a rule in my school that any teacher should spend some time sitting in a class to supervise the students in the class. Then it's time for him to go to Class three, next to my class. Seeing me half done with my correction, he required me to go to Class three with him and to have it finished by standing in front of the platform where he sat checking homework of other students. I had no choice but did as told. Standing there, however, I felt everyone was looking, whispering and laughing at me, though it's not true. I found it impossible to conecntrate to do my work, though I made it done in half of hour. After that, whenever I tried to do Math exercise, the scene of the students whispering came into my mind which was frustrating.
Since then, my Math got worse and I had little interest in the subject.
Sample2
The subject I disliked while studying in high school is Chinese. I don’t like Chinese for one thing that I never did well in the exams, causing me lose my confidence of learning. For another, an incident happened in the class making me lose interest in it.
I went to a primary school in my village, where I was taught by my head teacher for five years. Old as she was, she was in charge of teaching us students both Chinese and Math. As a child, I was naughty and I always dashed my homework quickly. I seldom did reading except for homework. I came to realise my problem in Chinese after attending junior high school. Then I had trouble in the spelling of Chinese characters, an important part in any test. What’s worse, I was afraid of writing a composition which counts thirty percent in a test. Since I had not done much reading, I didn't know what to write and I had to make up all the times. I did poor in exams from time to time, as a result, I believed I would never learn Chinese well and writing has been torturing to me.
Sadly, once I was punished by my Chinese teacher, which made me hate her and her class as well. I had a stomachache that day, so I leaned over the desk. Thinking that I was sleeping, she asked me to stand up. I was mad of her punishing me without asking me why I was doing that. I just stood there for the whole session even I was suffering the pain. From then on, I got distracted in her class; sometimes, I even did exercise of other subjects in her class. As a consequence, I became a real problem student. Things turned better when I had a new Chinese teacher, but it's too late as I had fallen far behind others.
My experience of Chinese learning was sad. If I had a choice, I would make it different.
PART 3: Discussion topics:
1. Which subject should not be taught in class?
Science, including Biology, Chemistry and Physics, should not be taught in class. Though I have studied science for six years, I find not much of subject
is practical in my life. The only thing impressed me was the experiment of making electricity through friction. Of course, I learned the lever principle in the use of scissors. However, those can be obtained through social experience, and I have no difficulty in using the stuff without knowing the exact principle.
2. Which subject should be taught in class?
I think Geography should be made a compulsory subject, besides, more related knowledge should be included. I have a friend who is great in geography. He can tell the exact location of every province in China, foreign countries on earth as well. I really admire him for that, and I believe geography is part of a country. Learning geography helps people learn better of their country.
3. How do teachers help students who have difficulties in studies?
First of all, teachers should talk to students to find out why they have those difficulties, and take up different measures. To those slow learners, teachers can help by offering classes after school for those students to catch up; to those students having no interest in a subject, teachers should come up with more various teaching methods to make class more interesting, in this way, students may find the interest of the subject.
4. What subjects are most popular in high school in your country? (Why)
Chinese, Maths and English are most popular, and all students have to learn those three subjects. Those subjects are popular because students are made to learn. Chinese is our mother tongue, so there is no doubt we should pay much effort in learning it. English, considered a useful tool in helping students learn more about the world, has been put more emphasis on. For Maths, I do not understand why it's compulsory, maybe it's helpful in cultivating students' ability.
5. How has education in your country changed in the past few years?
Firstly, the education facilities have great improved during the past few years. More qualified teachers are working at schools and they can make use of multimedia for teaching, while loads of teachers a decade ago could only use blackboard and chalk. Besides, students have more choices after graduating from secondary schools. A growing number of students go abroad for further study.
6. What are some differences between university education and high school education?
For one thing, students have one main subject, their major, to specialize on. Other subjects are, comparatively, minor or optional. But each student has to study four major subjects in high schools. For another, students in university have more free time. They have few classes as they do at high school, and teachers are not always there to supervise their daily study. In a word, university education focuses more on student's major development and self-discipline.
7. What factors do people consider when they are choosing which university to attend (to go to)?
There are two main factors. The first one must be the reputation of the university. The key universities offer higher quality of education, and
students studying at those schools are always considered to enjoy better ability than those from ordinary schools. The other one is the major of schools. Each school has its own specialty and dominant majors. People majoring in those subjects will be given priority while hunting for a job.
8. What do you think of teaching, as a profession (or, as a job)?
I think teaching is a professional job, especially those involving pie-school and primary school education. Teachers can have life-long influence on a child. I believe man is basically good, and what he learns at his youth will determine who he will be. Teachers are responsible for leading children to develop interest in study, and to be able to judge right from wrong. Without the proper guidance of teachers and their co-optation of parents, children will easily go stray.
9. What are the qualities of (characteristics of) a good teacher?
First of all, a good teacher should be patient enough, especially those teaching children below fourteen, as it's impossible to reason with little children. What's more, children are active and naughty, so teachers should have patience to cope with them. Secondly, teachers should be capable to individualize children's learning, for each child is unique and could not be the same at study. Therefore teachers should pay more attention to those slow learners and make them not to lose interest in learning.
10. In what ways does a good teacher have an effect on the students?
Firstly, teachers' words have great effect on the students. Students respect teachers for they are knowledgeable, and they believe all what teachers say is right, especially when they are children. Any praise from teachers will make students happy, and students probably will do better in study for their love of teachers. Secondly, teachers' behavior also does. Students prefer to imitate their teachers who they admire, and in most cases, they believe what their teachers do is right.
11. Which do you think is better, studying alone or studying in a group? (Why)
It depends. Some people can concentrate better while studying by themselves, without the interruption from others. Others, however, prefer to study in a group, by discussing with other students, they can be active and can come up with more ideas. Personally, I'd like to study on my own, for I am not a quick thinker, and I may just follow others' ideas put forward, while taking no time to think myself.
12. Do you think young people learn better than old people?
In general, young people are better in learning than the old. It's believed that enjoying a good memory, young people are more energetic than old people. However, young people may not be persistent on learn, and they may be distracted by other things. Though old people are slow in learning, they, however, enjoy more time, and they can concentrate better on learning what they are interested in.