Comp:What I Like Best About My School II

What I Like Best About My School

Many students say they like their school without knowing why. Some say it is because of the teachers, others say it is because of their classmates. My school is just like my second home. It is true that we have the best teachers, but the best teachers are the ones who love students as if they were their own kids. These are the teachers who, like parents, give children encouragement and give us a little push to try harder, but most of all, like good parents, our teachers have opportunities waiting for us to experience, to learn and make our dreams come true. The opportunities are what I like best about my school. Let me explain.

  The encouragement I get from the teachers in my school mirrors the encouragement I get from my parents. One example comes to mind. Like a child afraid of strangers, I used to have stage fright at school. I cried and ran away when giving a speech.  My teacher showed me that there were always ways to gain confidence. Since I am usually outgoing with my family, the teacher encouraged me to perform at a play for Mother’s Day and pretend the audience was my family. It was easy after that. I practiced in front of my parents and even in front of my dog.  I conquered my fear of performing in public!  My teacher’s framing the audience in familiar ways encouraged me. Now, when I am on a stage, I feel like I am home. My teacher inspired my confidence.

I am a lazy girl that needs a push every now and then, like when I promised my teacher to finish my speech draft after the winter vacation, but didn’t do it. Not to worry. My teacher found a way to get me going. She said, “I’ll give you a choice; you can read this wonderful speech I have. Just go out on stage and read it, or you can write your own speech to share with the audience? ” Great, right? But there was one problem; her script was full of words I didn’t understand! Of course, I chose to get to work writing my own. She may have been angry, but she didn’t show it. She gave me the opportunity to make my own decision, just as my parents would have done. The gentle way she forced me to face my own laziness was fantastic!   

All the activities at our school are designed to gain experience, push us when we’re shy, and make our dreams come true. Who always gives you the opportunity to learn and to experience but your parents?  Who is always there helping you to trust yourself? That is our family. My school is like a family. My teachers encourage us to understand ourselves. This is what I like best about my school. It is my home away from home.  

Comp: What Facebook Does to Me II

What Facebook Does to Me 2

If you ask me whether I have a Facebook account or not, I will answer, “Who doesn’t?” Facebook is so useful that it has become a part of many people’s lives, including mine. For relieving boredom and sharing thoughts with friends, old and new, there is nothing else that compares, but the down side is its addictiveness.  I couldn’t imagine what my days would be like without it.

     First and foremost, Facebook keeps me from getting bored when there is nothing else to do. I check out friends’ home pages, read the news feeds, or watch funny memes. Facebook is really good for channeling my interests and expressing my opinions in public especially on hot topics such as same-sex marriage. In an instant, my ideas go out to the world.  Some discussions may not be agreeable, but when someone hits the "like" button on my comment, I feel great about myself!  With Facebook, people can understand me better and I can know how others feel.

  The second amazing function of Facebook is finding long lost friends to update our lives and feelings. I get to keep in touch with lots of classmates and teachers who I never thought I would meet again. With Facebook, keeping friendships over distances becomes easy. Friends post each other’s old photos which are usually cute, but occasionally I am reminded by photos I am doing something stupid in. It is all in fun though, unless it becomes malicious; that is the sinister side of Facebook. Being bothered by bad friends and strangers sending messages is annoying. Sometimes old friends must be “blocked” and left in the past.

    Though Facebook has brought the world closer to me, it has complicated my life by filling it with distractions, and compromising my concentration or my studies. I can’t stop reading the articles!  Before I realize it, hours have passed. It’s really a big problem getting less and less for studies and real interaction with people I care for. People around me spend more time posting and reading articles than talking to each other face to face. For instance, on my birthday, some friends post best wishes or smiling face stickers instead of writing greeting cards or giving me hugs in person. Everyone seems addicted to Facebook! That's really not what I want deep in my heart. 

I can’t help wondering why I am so addicted to Facebook. I must resist!

    There is no denying that Facebook is a useful tool for communication and information; it adds so many possibilities to our lives, but there is a sinister side to Facebook, too. There are always two sides, aren’t there?  I should be more careful least Facebook takes control of my life. Spend more time being with people I love is more important. Showing I care cannot be replaced by typing words or posting smiley faces. If we are smart uses of Facebook, it can bring us joy and improve the quality of our lives. 

Comp: Three Things That Trouble Me The Most II

Three Things That Trouble Me The Most 2

Teenagers always seem to be trouble makers, like when we don’t follow the rules of adults, but sometimes we only make trouble for ourselves. I am no different. Though I may be a trouble maker to others, there are a few troubles I save for myself, all because of insecurity.  For one, I am always worrying about my height. Another trouble I give myself is my fear of public speaking, and the last is my lack of communication with my parents. You may feel like I do. Let us compare notes.

Is height your problem? I often feel like I am staying short while my friends are growing up.  I do play basketball a lot and drink milk every day.  My father even urges me to drink disgusting medicinal Chinese snake or turtle soup to improve my height, but the miracle cure hasn’t happened yet. Increasing my height would heighten my self-esteem. Though I am 15 years old, my clothes are bought at children’s departments. Sometimes I wonder if I will stay in a ten-year-old body forever. It is not a pretty picture.

Is it my diminutive height that has affected my ability to speak in public? Perhaps! The fear of public speech is the second trouble I give myself.  When an opportunity to address an audience arises, I feel that everyone is waiting to hear my mistakes.  You may not believe it, but I have stage fright. Right this second, my heart is pounding so hard that I can hardly hear my own voice. Can’t you hear it?  You may think I look confident now. Thanks, but you can’t see my legs shivering or feel the sweat rolling down my back.

Blame my fear on the lack of communication I have with my parents.  Don’t get me wrong; I love them, but they don’t like to listen to me. It’s true!  When I try to share my interests with one of them, he or she looks at me blankly and says, “Sorry, Honey.  I am busy working.”  When I get into trouble and want to explain, they say, “We are too angry to listen to you.”  I admit that I am sometimes naughty and my excuses are loquacious, but it should not be so difficult to explain my dilemmas or share happiness with them. It affects my confidence.

These are the three problems that trouble me the most. How I would love to solve my insecurities due to my height and fear of public speaking, perhaps all caused by a lack of communication at home. I know that I should not make excuses; the best way to overcome fear of public speaking is to practice at home, even if no one seems to be listening. Even if I am not tall, my heart is big enough to conquer my problems. And about my parents……if they are sitting in front of me now, listening to my speech, I want to tell them I have a million ideas to share, all because they raised me well, to solve my own problems. If they are listening to me now, they can hear the echo of all the ideals they instilled in me. Thanks to their tough love,  I can solve my own problems. 

Comp: If I Were a Boy I

Comp: If I Were a Boy II

Comp: I Have a Dream I

Comp: I Have a Dream II

Comp: What I Can Do With a Smartphone I

Comp: What I Can Do With a Smartphone II

Comp: The Spectrum of Miaoli

The Spectrum of Miaoli

     

      Miaoli is a beautiful county in west, central Taiwan, with a myriad of colors to identify it with. It is a collage of culture and cornucopia of native crops. The local specialties of Miaoli can be divided like a rainbow to introduce it well to the visitor.

      “Red” is the color that represents the strawberries of Dahu Township in Miaoli. These famous strawberries, in season right now, are popular with carloads of families that come to the orchards to fill their dry-pint baskets. The outing is enjoyable and the fruit of their labor is sweet, indeed.  

      “Yellow” brings to mind the acres of flowing paddies in Yuanli Township, Miaoli. There is nothing like strolling down a dirt path with a cool breeze urging you along, or better yet, a ride on a bicycle through the waving fields of ripe, gold grain. It is a sensation that will stay with you throughout your life.

      “Purple” invokes the plump, juicy grapes of Zhoulan Township, Miaoli. In a birds-eye view, the undertones of orange and yellow from groves of persimmons, pomelos, and tangerines lend their luster to the violet background of grapevines growing in abundance there. They are all so tasty and available at local fruit stands.

      “Blue” brings to mind the naturally-dyed blue fabric prints; the specialty of Hakka Village. You can choose the fabric and pattern you wish to embellish your home with when you return from your trip to Miaoli. It would be like taking a piece of Miaoli home with you.

      With a background lush with green mountains and blue streams, a cup of traditional ground tea is an easy and enjoyable way to end your stay here. The friendly people of Miaoli treat their guests like family and will touch your heart; you may find it difficult to leave. If so, remember: simply return to memorable Miaoli. Miaoli comes in many colors when you need an antidote for civilization. We hope to see you here again soon.

Comp: Good Manners Are Important

Good Manners Are Important

Having manners is a basic to society. Those who display and respect good manners will benefit a lot from doing so. They will have sincere friendship, and never feel lonely. They will always be in good company with those who have education, taste, and good class. Others will have a good impression of them, and they will be popular with their peers. There is a way to attain good manners; it starts from a young age. Once you know where to begin to demonstrate them, you will surely reach your goal.

    Good manners begin at home. We need to respect our sisters and brothers and require mutuality. To our parents, we need to have obedience. At school, we need to be polite to teachers and classmates. Students need to care about ethics. In public, we can be the change we hope to see by not running or shouting loudly. Towards the elderly, we can offer our seat. To each other, we can say “please, thank you, and “sorry” regularly. If we start young, those manners are not difficult to learn, so we should practice them as often as we can. Let me give you a practical example of good manners:

Once there was a car driver slowly approaching a red light. A street urchin knocked the window and asked him if he would buy flowers. He handed the child two dollars. When the light turned, the drivers in cars behind his honked their horns impatiently. Flustered, said to the boy rudely, "Hurry up; give me any color you wish; just hurry!”

        “Okay," the boy said politely "Thank you, sir," and handed him his purchase. Before too long, the driver’s conscience felt uneasy for his rudeness so he determined to ease it. He parked on the roadside, walked back toward the boy, and gave him an additional two dollars suggesting he buy his own bouquet for a person he liked. The child accepted the bonus, smiled, and went on his way.

 When the driver returned to his car, he found that it had broken down and could not move. He decided to walk to a service station to find a tow truck for help. On his way, he saw a tow truck coming. He was shocked when the driver pulled over, and with a big smile said a child had given him four dollars to drive up and help him. He showed a note the child had scribbled and given him to deliver. It read, "This represents a bouquet of flowers to a person I like." Good manners pay us forward.

      The more people have good manners, the more people will feel happy. It starts from when we are young. Even in the face of hostility and rudeness, we need should not lose heart. With manners, starting with self-respect, our society will be more congenial.

Comp: Good Grades Are Not Everything

      Good Grades Are Not Everything

Good grades in required subjects in school are important, but they are not the most important part of schooling. Some students may study well while others not. Grades are not all that important because those students who are not good at studying may be better at other aspects of schooling such as sports, art, or music. They can sparkle in their own light. Those who think grades are all that matters in school should reconsider. In fact, there are drawbacks to excelling in academics.

Some students hoping for high grades may think their effort will bring them many friends, but this is not always the case. The conceit that often comes from being “The best” may be considered inappropriate to others; some classmates may even resent him or her. Let me give my friend Ken as an example; he is good at studying and did better than his classmates on tests, but he became too proud and make some classmates unhappy with him. Pretty soon, the entire class started to hate him. Instead of realizing what his arrogance had brought him, he laughed at his classmates and is now ostracized by one and all.

In this world, there are famous scholars, but there are also those good at baking bread and other essentials to have a good life. One may not be a winner of a world baking contest or have a respectable resume, but the satisfaction of working hard at the craft of baking bread, and doing what one likes, means the world to his happiness and fulfillment. Many skills are important to create a great society.

 There is a famous saying in Taiwan; all jobs can be great, and all jobs are good for you. When you think you are bad at study, it is not the end of the world; go to find something else that you are good at, spend a lot of time on it, and you will be just as great.

       There are aspects of schooling more important than grades. It may happen in your life and affect the future. We must keep our options open to make our life more colorful, not only the black and white of textbooks and tests. 

Comp: My Favorite School Event

My Favorite School Event

Middle schools offer students extracurricular English events to stimulate their interest in learning English as a Foreign Language. Some of these events are wonderful but some are boring; students have their own preferences. My favorite event is the English Chorus Contest. I was a participant in last year’s event. What fun it was!

The English Chorus Contest is my favorite because it involves a lot of teamwork. First, we need to choose the song. It is important because to choose carefully as some words in the song may be hard to pronounce. Some students who cannot speak English well will choose a song with few and simple lyrics. Other students will be more daring. There has to be some consensus. 

 After the song has been chosen, everyone should learn how to sing it and memorize the lyrics. We listen to the song played many times to get the rhythm and intonation right. Sometimes we will work on harmony. All this takes time but the teamwork is pleasurable.

Choreography is a criterion for the judge to choose a winner by, so some student groups need to think of body language, gestures, and facial expressions to ring out the best in the song. The actions that fit the song are then learned by the entire troupe. These added notions make our performance better. When we finish all the preparation, we start to practice. We sing the song practicing ten times a day!

On the day of the contest, we were all very nervous; we were the first chorus to perform. Although we had practiced endlessly, we couldn’t calm down. We were so tense that we got dry-mouth and had to drink liters of water. When it was time to go on, we walked onto the stage, our hearts beating fast. I prayed we would not make any mistakes, but then it happened; I screwed the song up! It was disgraceful.

When we finished the song and walked off the stage, we sat on our chairs and watched other troupes perform. After the performances were complete, the judges revealed their decisions: it was not us that won; we came in seventh place, but that was okay with us; we did our best.

My favorite school event is the English Song Contest, despite the outcome. The camaraderie of singing with my classmates is priceless. Whatever the result, even if is not good enough to win, I still feel happy.

Comp: Why I Would Like to Become a Teacher

Why I Would Like to Become a Teacher

Wearing nice clothes and standing on a platform in front of a classroom, a teacher is something to behold, but more than what meets the eye, sharing knowledge and motivating students to reach their fullest potential makes teaching the Pierian Spring I choose to drink deeply from. Teaching is a difficult profession to master, but for the sake of my students, it is the most important one could ever have.
Beyond imparting knowledge to youth, satisfying their quest for self-knowledge and guiding them through the pitfalls of life is teachers’ responsibility. Elders may tell us our generation has a better living standard than theirs, but ours also has more pressure and more temptation to lead us astray; it can hinder us making it difficult to contribute to society. Some students may not reach their goals because of family problems and personal issues. As a teacher, it will be just as important to listen to students, see them through rough times, and help them find some happiness in their lives. Guidance is as important as knowledge. As a teacher, I will be there for my students when they are in need.
In our confusing world of misinformation and vested interest, there are no standardized solutions for questions a student will have. As a teacher, one task will be to teach students how to think independently, to choose the best resolutions for the problems mankind has created. For instance, it may seem obvious that, for economic growth, nuclear power is essential, but a student must learn to dive deeply into knowledge to understand underlying complications; can a nuclear power plant be safe in the event of natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis? As a teacher, I must be a role model of bravery, leading students to find the best answer at the most compelling crossroads.
To point to paths that have not been traversed before, to introduce books that will ramp up knowledge and insight, and to be fearless in trying new approaches; this a teacher must do. Encourage and embolden students at all times. My hope is that, as a teacher, I will earn trust from my students who overcome their frustrations and fear not the dark. I know that I will have made a difference in students’ lives when they can find fun and joy to light the way in life for themselves and the world.

Comp: Three Things That Trouble Me The Most 1

Three Things That Trouble Me The Most 1

     There is an old saying that goes: “Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you.” As a teenager, everything can be apocalyptic, and I am no different. Since adolescence, there have been three “troubles” driving me crazy: pimples on my face, lousy math performance, and poor social skills. Let me explain how they have affected me and how I conquered them.
     I started having pimples on my face since the third grade. It’s been five years by now. I feel tired of them but can’t do anything about them. I even went to see a dermatologist who told me not to worry; just sleep enough and avoid icy and deep fried foods. The worst thing about having them was being called “pimple girl” when I was in elementary school; the moniker was even written in my senior yearbook. When the boy I liked called me it, I felt heartbroken. I felt so unattractive that I decided to through myself into my studies and make myself better in that way. But that led to another problem.
     Math had been my favorite subject in primary school because I could easily solve most math questions and get high grades, but my confidence changed in junior high school when Math became more difficult. It became harder for me to get good grades on math tests. For that reason, I didn’t like math anymore, but after disappointments with having pimples, there was no other option than to confront my fear of math. I asked my classmates, who were good at math, how they could handle it. I discovered the difference between us was that I didn’t go to cram school for math but they did. I doubled my effort. When my math teacher wanted me to do more math exercises, I did them and did them well. I dealt with my problem of carelessness and overcame the difficulties. I studied so hard that I now do math homework problems in my dreams.
     Overcoming personal problems with pimples and math have given me strength, however, I still felt lonely and I really wanted to become popular. I am bad at chatting with others, let alone making new friends, so I felt incredible when someone told me that I was an outgoing person. To be honest, I like crazy and funny people. They make me happy and they are more popular, so to improve my social skills, I let my inhibitions go.
     I have dealt with the three demons that could have made my life miserable.Confidence is the first secret of success. I believe obstacles that trouble us must be confronted when they show up. If I could do it, you too can face and solve them.

Comp: What I Like Best about My School 1

What I Like Best about My School 1

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. The topic of what I like best about my school is an ordinary one. Most students would write about their teachers they learn from, or classmates with whom share my joy and tears, but although I appreciate them immensely, you will be surprised to know that it is the school's environment and wildlife that I treasure most about going there day in and day out. Let me explain.

When after a dreary walk to school I arrive to see an “endless” playground, my heart jumps for joy! It sparkles in my eyes, refreshes my spirit, and, most important of all, encourages me to build my muscles! School Sports Day is most delightful. On a pristine field of freshly cut grass surrounded by a running track of bold white lines, players creative approaches, join class relays, tug-of-war competitions, and fun activities made more exciting by the environment. We are eager to prepare, to practice, to join in the games, and of course, to have fun! But also, around the school's perimeter, and up to my classroom window, cool, shady trees with branches thick with leaves hide the second reason I love going to my school: a family of Collared scops owls moved in!

Yes; a family of owls at school! My classmates and I used to hate the trees for their fallen leaves which we swept around campus. However, that changed after the owl family showed up. I opened my classroom window and suddenly, they caught my eye. There was daddy, mommy, and two baby owls on a branch of the tree! They were standing in a line staring back at me! It took my breath away! I told my classmates this big news and from then on, we quietly observe them before class, and sometimes, I dare say, during the day when class is boring. The family stand on the branch and rests. It seems that they have classes with us and won’t leave until the end of the school day when they fly off! We learned that. on weekends, many bird lovers come to my school to watch the owl family, too, or take pictures of them!

How could a kid not like a school with such an environment? One ordinary morning, I walked to school, got to my classroom to open the windows as usual, and there was something strange on the top of the blackboard. To my surprise, it was a baby owl! It looked as if it were our teacher and would like to begin the class! My classmates tried to calm down, pretended nothing happened and it perched there until we started our real first class. Now how cute is that? Yes, what I like best about my school is the owl family on campus. Thanks for listening.