你认为孩子是否应该上课后班英语作文

你认为孩子是否应该上课后班英语作文
Extra English Classes - A Big Waste of Time or Key to Success?
Hi, my name is Emma and I'm a 5th grader at Lakeview Elementary. I've been going to after-school English classes since 2nd grade and I have some strong feelings about it that I want to share. At first, I really didn't want to go because it meant missing out on playing with my friends after school. But my parents insisted that the extra English practice would really help me in the long run. Well, three years later, I've got to admit they were right about some things, but also kind of wrong about others.
Let me start with the good stuff about extra English. The biggest benefit is that it has definitely improved my reading, writing, and vocabulary skills. In class, we do all sorts of activities like reading comprehension worksheets, creative writing exercises, vocabulary games, and even putting on little skits and plays entirely in English. This has made English feel much more natural to me than just the boring grammar lessons we get during regular school hours.
I can speak and understand English way better than most of my classmates who don't go to the after-school program. That's
given me a lot more confidence too when it comes to raising my hand or giving presentations in front of the class. Just last month, I was the only one who could understand what our foreign exchange teacher from Canada was saying during her visit! My English skills have also helped me read more complicated books that kids my age usually find too difficult.
Another plus is that the after-school program has a much smaller class size than normal school, with only 6-8 students per teacher. That means we get way more individual attention and the teacher can really focus on our specific needs and weaknesses. During our regular English classes at school, it's sometimes hard for the teacher to go at the right pace when you have over 25 kids of all different levels in the same room. But at after-school English, everyone is relatively close in ability so we can progress faster together.
The small classes also allow for more fun activities that just aren't possible with a huge group. We often watch clips from kids' movies or TV shows and discuss them. We play vocabulary games that involve acting out words and having competitions between teams. Sometimes we even have sessions where we Video Call with students from other countries to practice
conversational English! It definitely doesn't feel as boring and repetitive as the regular school day.
So with all those great benefits, you might be wondering why I had any doubts about going to extra English in the first place. Well, there are also some major downsides that I've experienced over the last few years.
First of all, it's a huge time commitment on top of everything else we have to do as students. The after-school program runs for 2 hours every weekday from 3:30-5:30pm. That's 10 hours per week, not even counting homework and test prep! By the time I get home, I'm exhausted and have little energy left for playing outside, seeing friends, or just relaxing after a long day at school.
The schedule is also really inflexible. There have been so many times when I've had to miss a birthday party, sports practice, or fun activity with friends because of my English class commitment. Weekends are quickly eaten up by homework for both regular school and the extra English. Sometimes it honestly feels like my entire childhood is spent just going to classes and doing schoolwork.
Another issue is the crazy amount of pressure and stress that comes with after-school English. My parents have spent thousands of dollars on tuition and always remind me how I
need to work hard to get my money's worth. The teachers pile on tons of homework, test prep, and extra assignments in addition to the normal school curriculum we have to master. It's definitely taken a toll on me mentally and emotionally at times when I feel overwhelmed with such high expectations.
There's also a pretty intense competitive environment where students are constantly comparing scores, homework completion, reading levels, and other achievements. Every marking period, the school hosts an English awards ceremony where they publicly honor the top students. While that motivates some kids, it has really damaged my self-confidence at times when I didn't get recognized. My parents have certainly added to that pressure as well by frequently comparing me to other students and pushing me to be #1.
So in the end, after-school English classes have been a bit of a double-edged sword. There's no doubt my English abilities have skyrocketed and I'll be way ahead of the curve once I get to middle school and high school. Those skills will definitely open more doors for me academically and professionally later in life. But at the same time, sometimes I wonder if I've missed out on too much of a normal, carefree childhood because of the intense workload and pressure.
I know my parents only want what's best for my future by enrolling me in the extra classes. But there's got to be a way to develop critical skills like English without having it take over your entire life as a kid. Maybe programs could be more flexible with scheduling and pacing. Or perhaps there could be a bigger emphasis on learning through games, projects, field trips and other interactive methods vs. just endless worksheets and tests. Schools should consider the mental health side too and not push kids to the breaking point chasing after perfect scores.
At the end of the day, kids need balance - a mix of hard work and opportunities to just be a kid. After-school English absolutely made me deadly at grammar and vocab, but it also drained a lot of the fun and creativity out of learning a new language. As a society, we've got to figure out how to challenge students academically while still leaving room for them to experience the joy and magic of childhood. That's the key to raising successful, mentally-strong kids who are prepared for a bright future.。