Which is more important: gaining experience or reading books?

Anna Mkrtchyan Grade 11

In my opinion to read books and gain experience have equal importance. If someone reads books to have more knowledge but doesn’t use it in real life, what is the point in having such knowledge? Another person may make unsuccessful experiments all day long without reading and gaining new knowledge. So we should value both. But sometimes these things don’t depend on us. I think that schools should give the students a chance to use their knowledge in different laboratories and in this way gain experience. Schools should teach us knowledge and skills which will help us in real life.     

For example, in most of the schools in our country history teachers focus their attention on chronology of historical facts: the dates of births and deaths of kings, the date and place of various battles instead of analyzing these facts and connecting them with our present days.   

During the English lessons teachers focus their attention on teaching grammar and reading texts. Of course it is important work, but it will be better if they also organize discussions, watch language teaching films to develop speaking and listening skills

Our “Mkhitar ebastatsi” Educomplex can serve as a good example with this respect. During our English lessons we not only do grammar exercises but also organize discussions on different topics, watch short films in English and then discuss them. During our History lessons we carry out educational projects, read different books, watch movies and analyze the historical facts connecting them with our present life. Our Literature lessons have taught us the writing skills. After reading a book we analyze it and then write an assay on the topic of the main idea expressed in the book. Chemistry and Physics lessons are conducted in the laboratories where the learners can make different experiments on various themes of these subjects.

In conclusion I want to assert once more that both experience and reading books should be valued equally.