Many schools require students to participate in volunteer programs in their communities as a requirement for graduation. However, some people feel that requiring students to volunteer defeats the purpose of volunteering. Do you think students should be required to volunteer in their communities to receive their high school diplomas? Take a position on this issue. Support your response with reasons and specific examples.
Imagine your school cafeteria plans to change to a new, healthier school lunch menu, which would eliminate some of the students’ favorite cafeteria foods. Take a position on this issue and write to convince your principal whether this change to the school menu is a good idea or a bad idea. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.
Some people believe that students should be required to take a music, a drama, or an art class. Should students be required to take a class in the arts, or should such classes be electives? Take a position on this issue. Use reasons and specific examples to support your position.
Think about the benefits of working with a group or working alone. Which do you feel is more beneficial? Write to convince your teacher of your preference, either to work with a group or to work alone. Support your position with reasons and specific examples.
Some schools offer distance learning as an option for students to attend classes from home by way of online or video conferencing. Do you think students would benefit from being able to attend classes from home? Take a position on this issue. Support your response with reasons and examples.
To conserve energy and resources, some businesses have adopted a four-day work week, with each day consisting of ten hours. Should your school follow this model by extending the school day two hours? After considering the benefits and disadvantages to a four-day school week, take a position on this issue. Support your response with reasons and examples.
In some societies, students are expected to identify a career by the time they enter high school. Their courses of study in high school are selected to guide them toward a specific career. Do you think it is a good idea for students to commit to a career at a young age? Take a position on this issue. Support your response with reasons and examples.
Some school districts offer programs that allow high school students to graduate in three years instead of the traditional four years. Most students who follow this plan must take courses during the summers or in the evenings or may not be able to take elective courses. Is it a good idea for students to finish high school in three years and enter college or the work force one year early? Take a position on this issue. Support your response with reasons and examples.
Research has shown that teenagers experience a change in their internal sleep clocks so that waking up early and going to sleep early are difficult. Should high school classes begin later in the day and end later in the day to accommodate students’ natural sleep clocks? Consider some of the benefits and disadvantages to starting school later in the day. Take a position on this issue. Support your response with reasons and examples.
Some schools require students to complete summer projects to assure they continue learning during their break. Should these summer projects be teacher-designed or student-designed? Take a position on this question. Support your response with reasons and specific examples.
Some schools do not use a typical grading system focused on homework, quizzes, and tests. Instead, students are given a long-term assignment and must produce a project and oral presentation to show what they have learned. Do you believe this grading system is a more effective way for a teacher to evaluate student learning than traditional grades? Take a position on this issue. Support your response with reasons and examples.
Many educators feel that the summer break is too long and that students do not retain information as easily when they return in the fall. Some people argue that there should be year-round schools, where there would be a 3–4 week break in the summer, a longer winter break, and a week off in the spring and fall. Does this sound like a good idea to you? Why or why not? Take a position on the issue. Support your response with reasons and examples.