Write about the following topic:

Some people believe teenagers should focus on all subjects equally, whereas other people
think that they should concentrate on only those subjects that they find interesting and
they are best at.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own
knowledge or experience.
Writing

The question of what the optimal approach to education for teenagers should be is
a topic of contentious debate. While one school of thought contends that a
well-rounded education is necessary, another advocates for specialization in areas
of interest and strengths. This essay aims to objectively analyze both perspectives
before providing the writer’s personal opinion on this matter.
On the one hand, proponents of equal focus on all subjects opine that a holistic
approach to education is imperative for teenagers. To begin with, exposure to a
broad range of subjects cultivates a comprehensive understanding of the world. As
the world is an immensely vast place with numerous cultures and perspectives,
attempting to understand its complexities invariably requires knowledge of many
different fields. Consequently, by encouraging teenagers to acquaint themselves
with a diverse array of subjects, such as history, geography, literature, social
sciences, and the arts, they can draw upon knowledge and perspectives from
different fields to obtain an all-encompassing and holistic worldview. For example,
studying literature and exploring historical events in the same period can provide
students with a deeper understanding of the social context in which the literature
was written, enabling them to better comprehend and empathize with the themes
and beliefs present in said piece of literature. In an era where a fundamental shift
towards globalization is inevitable, a well-rounded education that arms teenagers
with a solid foundation of interdisciplinary knowledge and a comprehensive view
on the world is of paramount importance as knowledge on diverse fields and
cultures is an integral component of interactions between people from different
cultures and nations and, therefore, dictates one’s social competence while a
holistic worldwide empowers one to flexibly adapt to and embrace different
perspectives and changes.
On the other hand, advocates for specialization contend that teenagers should focus
on subjects they find interesting and excel in. When students are empowered to
pursue their passion, they have a heightened sense of motivation and are more
likely to invest time and effort into honing their skills and have more autonomy
over their learning. In hope of deepening their understanding of their areas of
interest, they take ownership over their own learning, actively participate in class
discussions, and seek out additional learning materials that are not taught in the
normal curriculum. This intrinsic motivation and enthusiasm coupled with a
single-minded dedication to their passion enable teenagers to harness their latent
talents, achieve greater levels of mastery over their chosen field and potentially
pave the way for the pursuit of professional careers that are aligned with their areas
of interest . For instance, a teenager with a strong inclination towards music and a
natural talent for playing instruments can benefit immensely from focusing on
music education. By fully immersing themselves in this subject, they can
efficiently cultivate their skills, participate in competitions, and even pursue a
career as a professional musician or music teacher. In a similar fashion, a teenager
who specializes in computer programming may have the opportunity to participate
in coding competitions, experience building complex softwares by himself, and
actively seek out in-depth knowledge of programming languages, giving him a
competitive edge in the computer industry.
On balance, while it is crucial for teenagers to gain a broad understanding of
various subjects, they should also have the freedom to pursue their passions and
cultivate their strengths. In my opinion, a flexible curriculum that can lay a sturdy
foundation of knowledge of a diverse array of fields while still providing students
with opportunities to delve deeper into subjects they find engaging by offering
elective classes or extracurricular activities that cater to the interests of different
students is the optimal option.
In conclusion, while a well-rounded approach to education equips teengers with a
necessary foundation of interdisciplinary knowledge and a holistic worldview,
specializing in subjects of interests allows them to pursue their passions and excel
in their chosen fields. It is the writer’s opinion that devising a curriculum that can
strike a balance between the necessity of a base level of understanding of various
fields and the freedom to fulfill personal aspirations allows teenagers to reap the
benefits of both approaches.
Name: Trần Thiện Trí________