【推荐1】A “Gap Year” is a period of time when a student takes a break before going to university. It is often spent travelling or working. It can give young people useful learning experiences and new skills.

Gap years are popular with European and Australian students, but remain less popular in America. However, in recent years, more and more American students are preparing for college by taking a gap year. The advantages of taking a gap year are as follows:

Learn about the World and Yourself

Although you don’t have to go abroad to experience gap years, most gap year students catch the chance to travel abroad. You are able to work out who you are and what you are for. The experiences of different cultures offer you interesting lessons. You can learn more about the world and get to know yourself better.

Face Challenges and Have Fun

A gap year is not only a time to take a vacation, but also a time to face challenges. Gap year students usually work, volunteer or take service projects. You have to learn how to get along in the real world. This process isn’t always easy, but it is an important part of growing up. Only in this way can you enjoy life and have fun.

Save Money and Improve Your College Admission Chances

There’s a common thought that gap years are only for rich students, but it’s not true. Actually, taking a gap year can save your money. Gap year students often take a part-time job. Besides, students are much more likely to know what to study in college. Clear learning goals can keep the students working hard instead of wasting time and money playing.

Imagine an admission officer trying to admit (录取) only one between two students. Both of them are excellent and have high grades. However, one student has much practical experience or has volunteered in his vacation. Who do you think the admission officer will choose?

A different kind of school in Pakistan is giving poor children, and even their mothers and grandmothers, a new chance to get an education (教育).

The programme is called Street to School. It is a way to keep these children off the streets, while providing them with a basic education and useful life skills. Organizers started it in 2014 to set up a school for children who played on the streets every day while their parents were working. Mohammad Hassan, the founder of the programme, says children who spend all day on the streets are in danger of catching dangerous illnesses and could also be caught up in crime (犯罪).

This programme centers on reading, writing and maths. Students are also taught English as well as the local language, Urdu. Street to School also includes sports activities and provides students with information on how to stay healthy and take care of themselves.

Street to School managed to get children off the streets. And running the school also taught Hassan another great need in the community. “We started this programme for kids, but we found very quickly the kids would bring their homework without parents’ signatures (签字). That meant kids were not getting the needed help at home to do their homework. So we decided to develop a special course for these parents.”

Tahira Bibi is a grandmother who has always worked as a clothes maker and never got the chance to attend school. She cannot read or write. She says watching her grandchildren pushes her to act. “When I watched my grandson and granddaughter studying. I also developed an interest in learning. I believe that learning has no ending.”

Street to School now teaches 15 adult women and Hassan expects this number to keep growing.

【推荐3】It has become common in recent years for parents to be warned about the dangers of praise. We are told that frequent praise, although planned to strengthen a child's self-confidence, may instead create increased worries and finally weaken their creativity and confidence. Many parent advisers are especially shocked by empty praise—parents or teachers tell children that they are wonderful or special when in fact a child has not done anything wonderful or special.

In this view, when praise is cheap, children fail to learn the importance of work. And the critics ask, "How can children learn the need for effort perseverance(毅力) when they are not challenged to do better?"

However, my own experience teaches a different lesson. I have met many discouraged, angry and unhappy children. I have met discouraged kids who were unable to keep up efforts when they experienced even little disappointment.

And the cause of the problem is not praise, but criticism(批评). Most of these children were over-criticized; very few were over-praised. Children need praise. We all do. From early in life, children look to us for praise, and to share moments of pride. Of course, I do not advise praise that is unrealistic. I certainly do not believe in empty praise.

But I believe that we should offer children generous praise for all of their efforts, including their good behavior. Over time, they will come to learn that they can get praise by hard work.