Most of us can learn how to do something simple on our own with just a set of instructions. However, to learn about something more complex, it's always best to have a teacher.
Teachers bring with them varied and useful backgrounds. They've been trained to teach individuals in different ways depending on their style. For instance, some students learn better by discussing a topic. Others learn more by writing about it. Teachers can help students learn in the way that's best for each student. A textbook or a manual can only give you one way of learning something. Plus they're only as helpful as your ability to understand them. A good teacher can adapt her teaching to your needs.
Teachers help you focus on what you're learning. If you're learning something by yourself, it's easy to become distracted and go on to other activities. Teachers keep your attention on the subject. They also approach a subject logically, taking it one step at a time. On your own, it's tempting to skip parts of the learning process you think you don't need. That can hinder your ability to really understand the subject.
Learning a subject on your own is a very narrow way of learning. You can only use the information you get from the textbook. With a teacher, you get the information in the written materials as well as the teacher's own knowledge of the topic. Teachers can also provide extra materials to broaden the scope of what you're learning.
There's nothing wrong with studying on your own, and a learner can always benefit from some quiet study. For the best possible learning, though, a good teacher is the biggest help you can have.
Some people prefer to learn by themselves. They think they can learn better in this way because they have more freedom, independence, and pressure in their self-study. There is some truth in their way, but they fail to see the many advantage of learning with a teacher. Especially, when you learn something more complicated, it is always best to have a teacher. My arguments for this point are listed as follows.
First, a teacher can act as a guide to lead you to success. When you grope for knowledge, you need help and advice. A teacher, who treats you as if you were his own child, will give you a hand when you encounter difficulties; he will render his advice when you are in a dilemma. Without a guide, you would be searching in darkness without a torch to light the way for you.
What is more, a teacher exerts real pressure on you. If you study by yourself, you must be strong-minded enough to keep on. You may become indolent for lack of a strong will. Studying under the guidance of a teacher, however, you will feel there is always someone to supervise you. The teacher may assign you some books to read or some homework to do. You must complete the assignments, or you will not pass the course. You are urged to go no by your teacher.
Last but not least, studying with a teacher will receive the benefit of the teacher's knowledge. In class, the best teachers do more than just go over the material in the textbook. They teach students how to learn, how to absorb information and then apply what you have learned to other situations. They guide all of you on classroom to develop discussion of the material and provide extra materials to broaden the scope of the topic. Without the help of teacher, it is nearly impossible to get these skills just by reading the textbook yourself.
In short, I prefer go to class, studying with teacher to guide and urge me. I choose to learn in a big family----my school. If I was obliged to learn by myself without a teacher or classmates, I would feel very sad and lonely. There would be no fun, no pressure, and no motivation. I could not learn well in such dull and depressing circumstances.