2. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents are the best teachers. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Obviously, the earliest teachers we have in our lives in most cases are our parents, and they are generally the most involved in the development and education of their children. Yet neither are all parents good teachers nor are those good parents the best teachers.

First of all, not all parents are good teachers. As normal individuals, some parents more or less have bad habits. Even though parents almost instinctively devote themselves to cultivating their offspring, the outcome might turn out to be disappointment, for all children tend to unconsciously or subconsciously copy every thing from their parents. Another deficiency of parents as teachers is the fact that most parents are lack of common senses of education. All too often we observe some parents tend to pursue their cherished but failed dream by forcing their children to develop in a

prearranged direction. Ironically, if their children did not follow the

instructions, the children would be regarded as disobedient or allegedly rebellious. In fact, it is parents rather than their children that virtually disobey common senses.

Moreover, some parents are qualified as good teachers, but not all of them are the best ones. When children are in the preliminary school, it is not surprising that parents are capable of teaching their children almost every subject even better than professional teachers in the school. But the situation will not last long. We live in a world where knowledge is accumulated by multiplying and at the same time becomes more and more specialized. Therefore, to be a

professional in a certain field today takes much longer time than ever before. No parent is able to be professional in all fields, though they might be experts in one or more fields. Wise parents often release rather than charge their children as early as possible. They are aware of the possibility outside the family.

Parents may, nevertheless, help their children much more than do good teachers. Most parts of children education are virtually beyond teachers'

reaches. It is parents that supplement. Psychology studies have shown us that parents' love sometimes has astonishingly magic power to their children. Albert Einstein's mother and Forest Gump's mother are both good examples. On the other hand, parents might do their children harm more than do bad teachers as well. The natures of those children whose parents have divorced are often severely distorted. In a word, it is rather superficial to simply say that parents are the best teachers.

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4. It has been said, "Not everything that is learned is contained in books." Compare and contrast knowledge gained from experience with knowledge gained from books. In your opinion, which source is more important? Why?

Both experiences and books are very essential resources, and both of them have relevant merits.