Talking points: Should schools replace one class per week with an hour of self-study?
Hate it when you can’t talk back? Well, you can with Young Post. Have your say and share with students around Hong Kong
Can students study by themselves without supervision?Yes, I think schools should definitely do this. We are constantly having lessons but we don’t have time to revise what we learn from those lessons in school. We could study at home, but we’re usually tired after school.
Carina Au Wai-Ying, 14, Po Leung Kuk Lee Shing Pik College
I don’t think schools should. Some student might abuse the hour to just play and chat rather than study. I think it would be a waste of an hour where we could be learning something from a teacher.
Lau Tsz-yan, 14, Po Leung Kuk Lee Shing Pik College
I totally think schools should. Many schools in Hong Kong just keep feeding students new information without giving them a chance to digest the information. If students are not given the opportunity to find things out and try to understand things on their own, they might become too dependant on their teachers and will just shut off their brains in class. Giving students an hour in a week for self-study would make them more curious and want to learn. Teachers would also get to teach new things in their actual lessons because students will have had time to better understand what they have been previously taught. It’s a win-win for everyone!
Chloe Lau Hong-ching, 13, St Mary’s Canossian College
It depends. Self-studying is a great way for students to better their learning experience, whether they are revising for a subject or learning about a topic purely out of interest. Giving students an hour for self-study would encourage them to further explore topics they are interested in. However, many teachers don’t have enough time to teach everything in the syllabus that needs to be covered for the end of year exam, so while it would be nice to have a period for self-study, I’m not sure if this would be possible.
Lee Yuen-chi,16, Fung Kai No. 1 Secondary School
Yes, but only if that hour was a time where students could research a topic that they’re interested in. So instead of revising for another class, students would choose a subject they want to study and create something to show their understanding of the topic. Student wouldn’t waste this hour because they would be working on something they’re interested in.
Yoonjung Choi, 14, Hong Kong International School
I definitely think schools should give students an hour for self-study. This will allow students to have time to look over what they studied in the week and note down what they don’t understand. That way, when they have their next lesson they can ask their teachers to explain what they don’t understand.
Kasam Iqra Bibi, 13, Precious Blood Secondary School
I think that would be a good idea because students need a time to organise their schedule and also relax. By relax I mean study in a more relaxing environment where students can learn at their own pace, or in the way they prefer, like by reading a book for instance. This self-study period would offer a stress-free environment for students to learn, I can’t see why schools shouldn’t do it.
Marco Ng, 16, Fung Kai No. 1 Secondary School
Yes. Nowadays, a lot of students in Hong Kong are very stressed. They spend around 8 hours at school and many of them spend a couple more hours after school studying. Having one hour a week for self-study can give them extra time to revise what they’ve learned in the week, and can also help them organise their work, without cutting into their relaxing time.
Li Hoi-man, 15, Fanling Rhenish Church Secondary School
I think schools should because students can then use that hour to revisit key points from their lessons and prepare for the next topic they will cover in class. This would allow students to be really focus and be immersed in what they are studying.
Suki Hui Hiu-ching, 14, Po Leung Kuk Lee Shing Pik College
An hour for self-study is definitely needed. If you asked any student in Hong Kong, they would say their schedule is packed with tutorial lessons and extra-curricular activities. They barely have time to revise what they learned at school. With an hour of self-study at school, students would have time to consolidate what they learned. They can also use that time to do homework, read, or prepare for their coming lessons.
Sabrina Sun, 12, Maryknoll Convent School (Secondary Section)
Edited by Nicole Moraleda
In our next Talking Points, we’ll discuss:
Do parents put too much pressure on their children to go to university?
We are now accepting your answers for this topic. To take part, email your answer with your name, age, and school, along with a nice, clear selfie (make sure it’s not blurry), to [email protected] by lunchtime on Monday. Don’t forget to include “Talking Points” in the subject line.
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