IELTS writing task 2

Example 1

Children’s education has always been a highly debated issue, not only by the parents but also as a society in general. Every few years new ideas emerge and people want them to be included in the curriculum. One of these recent suggestions is to oblige young adolescents to perform voluntary community work such as working on social projects in their city. Personally, I think that forcing teenagers to commit to extra tasks would be counterproductive for the following reasons.

Firstly, children are already overloaded with too much work. Currently, children spend a lot of time at school, on top of that they have a lot of homework.  Additionally, schools are becoming more and more demanding and children have less and less time to play and be children. For example, there are children that I know who wake up before 6 to go to school and come back after 5 in the evening. Then their parents send them to other classes, such as dance, music, or even extra Math or English classes. Only to come home around 8, after which they still need to finish their homework, eat, and go to bed. Therefore, adding another few extra hours of voluntary work will not be helping them, it will only make them feel worse

Second, volunteering should be done of one’s own free will and making it mandatory defeats its purpose. Moreover, this is especially true when dealing with teenagers, which are notorious for hating anything that has to be done. For instance, when telling a teen that he or she will have to go clean up the neighbourhood because it will make the place better as well as make him or her feel better, the resentment will only grow. Therefore, it is paramount that volunteering should not be forced upon them, but rather give them some sort of choice. Providing options has more chance of fostering some responsibility, rather than being counterproductive.

In conclusion, obliging children to volunteer outside school as part of their curriculum is an unhealthy idea. However, I personally believe that volunteering could be part of a schooling program if it were offered on a free basis. Additionally, it should replace certain classes, instead of added to the already overtaxed time of the children.

(376 words)

Example 2

It has been suggested that high school students should be involved in voluntary community services as a mandatory part of high school programmes. Most of the schools are already providing opportunities to gain work experience, however these are not compulsory. In my opinion, sending students to work in community services is an excellent idea as it can provide them with a multitude of valuable skills.

First, it would supply them with invaluable life skills which are easily transferable to the workfloor. They will be put in diverse situations where they will be exposed to other competences which are not taught in regular classes. For example, students will learn how to communicate with others, work in a team, determine how to manage their time, as well as master countless organizational skills.  Additionally, the different projects the students worked on could be easily added to their CV, which will be immensely beneficial when they start to look for their first job. Consequently, having teens do voluntary work should be an essential part of any educational system.

Second, it will assure that their free time will be spend in a meaningful manner, rather than wasting their time on trivial matters. By giving them compulsory work activities with charitable or community organizations, they will be encouraged to do something more creative. For instance, many teens waste hours of their free time on meaningless activities such as checking their Facebook statuses or playing computer games on end.Therefore, any kind of spare time charitable work will prevent from them sitting and doing nothing. As a result, they will not be bored and come up with silly ideas which can be dangerous for them or their surroundings.

In conclusion, having these programs can only bare positive results which will be certainly beneficial for their future. For this reason, I hope these programs will be put into action shortly.

(312 words)

Example 3

It is argued that volunteering should be a made part of the school curriculum. This essay agrees with that suggestion completely on account of the benefits it will bring to the pupils. The essay will first look at how voluntary work can help students develop soft skills and then discuss how these extracurricular activities are valued by universities and employers.

First of all, education should not be limited to purely academic pursuits and the acquisition of knowledge. Those in education should also develop life skills, such as teamwork, empathy and self-discipline. We argue that one of the best ways to hone these aptitudes is through community service. For example, serving those less fortunate than ourselves teaches us many lessons including how to work with people from other backgrounds as well as the value of hard work. This was certainly the case when I personally volunteered to spend 6 weeks in Africa teaching disadvantaged children, leading to a much higher work ethic when I returned to my studies.Therefore, schools should include these programs as they will be beneficial for the students and their studies.

Additionally, many universities and companies are also increasingly looking for these type of experiences. Most school leavers have similar grades and charitable work can help set you apart from the herd, providing them with better opportunities. For example, Cambridge and Oxford receive thousands of applications from straight-A students every year and can only accept a small percentage of applicants. What you have done outside the classroom is often the thing that differentiates you from everyone else and gets you that coveted spot. Consequently, these extracurricular activities are not a waste of time, but a valuable bonus which will lead to considerably more and better opportunities in the future.

In conclusion, teenagers should be made to partake in unpaid work as part of their schooling, because it will help them learn things they wouldn’t ordinarily learn from their teachers. Additionally, it will also boost their chances of getting into third level education or provide even better job opportunities. Therefore, these programs should be implemented in any worthwhile educational institute.

(352 words)

Example 4

As much as the modern society is advancing in the field of technology, it is increasingly ignoring the importance of human relations. In the midst of this worrying trend there have been demands for making unpaid social service mandatory for high school students. I firmly support this suggestion. Glancing over the immense implications to both the helper and the helped will shed light on the need and importance of this step.

To begin with, having to go through the act of social service will instill a sense of community in the students. This is something that has gone missing in this era of social disintegration and change. Having to witness the power of community effort at a still young age will certainly make sure that the coming generations would have a world where personal needs do not completely oust the community ones. This renewed sense of being part of the community might as well be the answer to so many social issues like crime and drug abuse that breed in the lack of social support.

Moreover, even those on the receiving end of these acts of kindness will feel inspired to contribute in whatever way they can. Acts of charity are contagious and always trigger a chain reaction. This is evident from the fact that we ourselves feel inspired to become better human beings when we hear stories of selflessness and sacrifice. Therefore, to empower those in need does not end at what they receive, the spirit carries on through them to offer the same to others. As a result, the sheer implications hidden in these acts warrant that these be integrated into the education programme for high schools students.

To summarize, the sense of responsibility to community and the contagious nature of selfless acts coupled with the benefits that these can provide to the society as a whole are reasons enough for it to be implemented. I am fully in support of this step as it is one towards making the world a better place to live in. It is recommended however that the program be implemented in a seamless manner fitting in well with the existing structure of the education programme.

(363 words)