How to deal with pressure from parents

Most parents just want what is best for their children, but when their ideas of what is best for you don’t quite match your own, frustration and anger can run riot. To try to help you see things their way, parents may resort to pressing you without even realizing it. If you feel that one, or both, your parents are pressing you to act or think in a certain way, use this handy how-to guide to dealing with parent pressure.

1) _____ Even if it is the tenth time this hour that your mother has told you to stop slouching or watch your mouth or put away your laundry, remain calm. Getting into a screaming match may help you blow off some steam, but if you want your parents to listen to what you have to say, make sure that you say it in a reasonable tone. Remaining calm and speaking seriously will convey to your parents that you:

· have given your topic serious thought;

· can speak about your topic in a reasonable manner;

· are mature enough to have a discussion, not an argument;

· will be willing to listen to their opinions during this discussion.

2) _____ Of course by the time your parents realize that you are willing to have a discussion with them, you really must be ready to have this discussion. Make sure that you know your argument and can present it in a convincing manner. It doesn’t matter if you are trying to make them understand your desire to dye your hair, defer university or dell your younger brother; the aspects of a convincing argument remain the same.

3) ______ Life’s not fair; no doubt you know that already, so expecting to get your way all of the time is unrealistic. When your parents press you, they do so because they are passionate about the subject and it is unlikely that they will back off completely. Show your parents that you understand at least some of their passion by being willing to compromise. Try to find a middle ground – you’ll study French for an hour every night, but not with the silly tutor they found, you’ll consider babysitting your cousins regularly if they consider subsidizing your mobile phone bills – and hopefully you’ll find something you can agree upon. Parent pressure can make your home life a living hell, but following these handy hints should help lessen the pressure and let you all meet in the middle. If, however, your parents are pressing you to the point that you feel endangered either physically or mentally, contact a trusted adult such as a family friend, teacher, doctor or policeman immediately.

Task 28. From the text, write out:

1) the reasons for conflicts

2) middle grounds which can be offered to parents

Task 29. Match the parts of the sentences.

A) Most parents just want 1) without even realizing it.

B) Parents may resort to pressuring you 2) in a convincing manner.

C) If you want your parents to listen to what you have to say, make sure that 3) what is best for their children.

D) Make sure that you know your argument and can present it 4) you say it in a reasonable tone.

E) Show your parents that you understand 5) at least some of their passion by

being willing to compromise.

Topic 8. Young Children’s Creativity

Task 30. Read the text and answer the questions after it.

Young Children’s Creativity

From an early stage of living a baby is surrounded by people, unknown and strange (for him / her) things, sounds of various nature, natural processes going on around him / her, etc. It is very interesting for a baby to investigate everything, no matter how dangerous it may be. A baby is curious. It is eager to learn more about everything. In the process of acknowledging and getting in touch with things a baby’s desire to learn more doesn’t disappear. So, the task of the educator is to invent creative assignments for children to become acquainted with the world.

Young children are enthusiastic and positive about learning. We all thrive on doing well and begin praised for what we do and this is especially true for young children. It is important to praise them if they are to keep their enthusiasm and feel successful from the beginning. If we label children’s failures, then they believe us. Young children sometimes have difficulty in knowing “What is fact and what is fiction?” The borderline between the real world and the imaginary world is not clear. They use language skills long before they are aware of them. Their own understanding comes through hands and ears. The physical world is dominant at all times.

Educators of young children have long recognized the power of games in the child’s development. In games they saw a freedom of spirit which allows a child to investigate and research, a sense of personal involvement, control and mastery, a natural way of encouraging children to work co-operatively.

Playing alone and in small groups. Interpersonal relations with one’s peers or with strange adults, like a new teacher, do not come easily for very young children. Entering the group life of school for the first time is a difficult task that must be learned and practiced. A major role of the school is to help the child express his aggressive feelings but with acceptable actions. The teacher helps the child come to terms with his feelings, to understand how to deal with them.

Building skills and judgment. All children are very interested in the “what?”, “why?”, and “how” of the phenomena around them. They look, listen, smell, touch and taste to satisfy their curiosity. Self-directive materials can help them to understand spatial relations, and achieve technical mastery. Often children take apart and put together objects in configurations which were not necessarily intended by the material. This kind of imaginative game we call “creativity”. The task of the educator is to help a child acquire language in which he can think and talk about them.

Communicating with language, music and art. Communicating is essential to interpersonal relations. A child communicates through the language of music, dance, arts and crafts. He is able to express himself physically and tactfully before he can read and write. A child uses rhythm instruments to express moods and feelings. His art work reflects his reaction to what he sees around him. Physical communication demands skill in the use of material and tools; it spurs orderly work, physical co-ordination and creative thinking. Painting a picture evokes keen observation. Creative dancing and drama improvisations require body-control. Children who have experienced and mastered these means of communication are the ones who will ‘hear things’ in music and ‘see things’ in painting and be able to verbalize perception.

 

1) What do children usually have difficulty in?

2) What is a major role of the school?

3) What do we call “creativity”?

4) Is communicating essential to interpersonal relations?

5) How do music and art help a child to develop his / her creativity?

6) What should educators do to develop children’s creativity?

 

Task 31. Find in the text and translate the following words and word combinations.

1) испытывать интерес к обучению, 2) нам нравится, когда нас хвалят, 3) цеплять ярлыки «неудачников», 4) граница между реальным и вымышленным миром, 5) развитие, 6) исследовать, 7) сотрудничать, 8) личное участие, 9) достичь мастерства, 10) межличностные отношения со сверстниками, 11) главная роль, 12) прийти к соглашению, 13) удовлетворить свое любопытство, 14) существующие отношения, 15) разбирать по частям и собирать, 16) общаться посредством языка музыки, танца, искусства, 17) отражать, 18) побуждать к организованной работе, 19) пробуждать проницательную наблюдательность, 20) выражать словами ощущения.

 

Task 32. Decide if the following statements are true or false.

1) Young children are not usually enthusiastic and positive about learning.

2) Children always believe grown-ups if they label children’s failures.

3) It is not a difficult task for children to enter the group life of school for the first time.

4) A child communicates through the language of music, dance, arts and crafts.

5) Painting a picture evokes keen thinking.

 

Task 33. Read the abstract from the interview between a kindergarten teacher and a mother of a child attending this kindergarten and answer the questions after it.

Why do children play?

Interviewer: Why do you think children play?

A kindergarten teacher: Playing is a core of a child’s development in the world. You know, a recently

born child is new to the world, and the world is new to him. Playing a game a

child learns about himself, about other people, about the world and how it works…

Interviewer: But games can take up all of the child’s attention for there is so much to explore in the

world, such as: shape (round and square), texture (rough, smooth, slippery), consistency

(hard, soft), taste, etc. How is it possible to choose proper games at a particular age of a

child?

A kindergarten teacher: Knowledge of the average ages at which a child masters certain skills will help the adult to

know what to expect and be able to provide play opportunities which will help the child go

up to the next stage of development.

Interviewer: In what way should a teacher behave with children to establish a contact, interest them,

and gain their love?

A kindergarten teacher: Thank you for the question. The teacher of games must be impartial, both in the selection

of games and in the assigning of different tasks to players. Children’s feelings are hurt

when it seems to them that someone else the teacher’s pet. The teacher is sure to gain

respect and affection of children if she or he participates in a game.

Interviewer: You are an experienced pedagogue. I have never given a thought of how it is possible to

involve all children into some kind of co-work. It is so difficult to pay attention to

everyone.

A kindergarten teacher: It’s great work. As it turns out experiences in many children lack the ability to get along

with others if they didn’t use to play as a team. Actually, with proper guidance and

leadership games can help children to learn many things. For example, a shy backward

child can learn to enjoy himself with the others, an aggressive child can learn to take his

turn in line, a child who seems to lack a sense of security can gain self-respect and respect

of his classmates through the skill he may show in a game experience.

Interviewer: How right you are! What is the most significant about games to your mind?

A kindergarten teacher: Games can help a child to develop self-control. Many decisions when to run, when to stop,

whom to choose, what to say, and whether to follow rules of conduct or break them are

made by a child during his playing, and all are, to him, of great magnitude…

 

1) Why do children play?

2) How to choose proper games for the child?

3) What should a teacher do to establish a contact with children and gain respect and affection?

4) What things can games teach children?

5) Do you agree or disagree with the kindergarten teacher?

6) What games for children do you know?

7) What are the most interesting fairy-tales for girls and for boys, in your opinion?