The role of self-esteem in the upbringing of children
The shift from a manufacturing-based society to one based on information, and the emergence of a global economy characterized by a rapid change have created a growing demand on our psychological resources. As the world becomes more complex, competitive and challenging, self-esteem becomes more important than ever.
The problem of building up children’s sense of self-esteem has become a topical issue nowadays. Many people believe that the upbringing of children plays an important role in determining whether they are going to grow up as confident and self-assured individuals or not. The role of self-esteem in the child’s upbringing cannot be underestimated.
Children who have a healthy self-esteem tend to enjoy interacting with others. They are gregarious, comfortable in social settings and enjoy group activities as well as independent pursuits. They are also willing to pursue new interests. When challenges arise, these children are able to work towards finding solutions. They have an optimistic view of their lives and deal with the life’s ups and downs with flexibility.
Psychologists emphasise that foundation of good self-esteem should start from the first days of a child’s life. On the early stage of a child’s development it is parents who can provide their children with the first definitions of themselves. During this period the way children view themselves is built on the basis of their parents’ and other close people’s words and attitude.
For this reason it is important for parents to show their children that they love and care about them. They can do this in several ways. One of the best ways is to have a chat with kids. Talking together gives children the message that parents enjoy their company. Another way of showing affection to kids is by listening to them. They will feel that parents find them interesting and worth listening to. It is also advisable to join in toddlers’ games.
Encouraging children to do their daily chores like managing buttons or putting on their own clothes independently is another way to give a great boost to their self-esteem. It will give them a sense of achievement and help to build confidence in their own abilities.
Besides, praise and reward are excellent motivators. Children need approval of their actions. Nevertheless, it is important not to exaggerate. They can only get confused by excessive and especially by false praise. Self-esteem is built by realistic praise.
They should not be praised if they made a mistake or haven’t accomplished their goal. Instead, it is necessary to explain that they have done well and can do even better next time.
In this respect an experiment carried out in six countries, including the USA, should be noted. School children were given a standardized math test during which South Koreans did the best. Americans were an also-ran. The tricky thing was that the test included the question about how good the students were at the subject. Koreans came last in this category, while Americans were Number 1. The results show that children were taught to feel good about themselves and their knowledge without having any competence of the subject. The so-called “fake” self-esteem has been developed which cannot bring any good to children, as they are not apt to self-criticism and analysis. As a result, they cannot size up the situation objectively, have no incentives to perfect their skills and will be unable to meet the demands of post-industrial labour market. This is the case when self-esteem performs a destructive role.
Criticizing may be good. It can be uncomfortable but it could also motivate changes. However, either parents or teachers should never criticize child’s traits, only their actions and specific with explaining what they did wrong, the pros and cons and the reasons and rationales for whatever issue may be at stake.
In school, it is important for a teacher to build up the relations with students which will be based on trust and respect. Then her criticism will be taken into consideration.
Most leaning comes about from trial and error. The teacher can help with the process of learning by breaking down the task into small enough portions so that the student does not get discouraged, but can see the mistakes and a gradual development of skills.
To sum up, self-esteem plays a powerful role in the upbringing of a child. Having a solid foundation of self-esteem will allow children to perceive their talents and abilities accurately, look at their goals realistically, react to praise or criticism with ease, accept ups and downs with flexibility and optimism.
15.Advantages and disadvantages of egalitarian education
Each parent chooses this or that educational system depending on what he considers better for the development of his child’s abilities.
In this connection, it should be noted that children’s intellectual abilities and physical endurance vary enormously from individual to individual: some children are musically or athletically gifted and already at an early age show great achievements in this or that field; others are an also-ran in the race toward musical or athletic greatness.
Some experts claim that most of these differences are inherent in the child; others say that they are the result of early experiences. Teaching practice nevertheless shows that they are partly the result of heredity, and partly that of environment and upbringing. Besides, many psychologists point out that already by the age of 7 most of the abilities become deeply rooted in a child. The idea has been proved by the experiment conducted among seven-year-old children from disadvantaged backgrounds during which they were given special intensive training. The experiment gave negative results, thus showing the importance of choosing the right educational system which will be tailored for your child’s abilities and interests.
On this basis there is a fight between the supporters of egalitarian education and those who consider elicit education better geared towards child intellectual development.
Some governments believe in an egalitarian approach which will give all children equal opportunities to develop their special gifts. By adopting the egalitarian system they hope to compensate for the social inequality. In the families where both parents are busy earning a living children do not get the necessary attention. Parents just have no time to stimulate their brains during the vital first three years. In this respect, one of the advantages of egalitarian system is that it helps children educe their abilities. Besides, it encourages social cohesion, integrity and commitment to the community.
Nevertheless, many people believe that egalitarian education is not geared to the needs of market economy. It holds back the very bright children on whom the community will depend heavily in the years to come for the inventiveness, decision-making ability and intellectual endurance which enable a country to compete successfully in a world of advanced technology. It does not give them an incentive to develop their knowledge and skills. Children in mixed-ability classes simply get bored, lose interest in studies and play truancy from school.
People who support the so-called elicit education admit the importance of egalitarian approach only on a basic level as it gives equal opportunities for all to show their particular abilities. But once these have been established, each group of students should be given a different sort of education which suits it and encourages further development and achievements. However, the supporters of the egalitarian system argue that this sort of selection cannot be perfect: some children who should be at a particular type of school will have slipped through the net; and others who do go to that type of school will drop out before the end of course.
Obviously, the issue is debatable. The figures, nevertheless, speak for themselves. The number of private school pupils in Britain has increased by 6% between 2002 and 2008, while during the same period the number of pupils attending state schools fell by 2%. The exodus from state education shows that parents opt out of State system and egalitarian education. They are ready to cut down on expenditure in order to send their offspring to a private school which is child-oriented and encourages those who are outstanding in a particular thing to develop their abilities to the full.
14. ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL SYSTEM: PROS AND CONS.
As a matter of fact, there seems to be an impressive number of arguments for alternative school system and none against. The main argument for is that most children seem to hate their school nowadays. They are so tired of teachers and classes that they simply sit through the whole day and then rush out to go home. It doesn’t happen due to their dislike of some particular subjects or teachers; the contemporary phenomenon is that kids don’t accept their school as a whole. In England parents choose to opt out of the State system, because they are opposed to comprehensive system, as mixed ability classes don’t make the best provision for the least and most able children. The students complain themselves that the educational system doesn’t seem to care about them; they feel as if they were just numbers.
The reason for all that is that ordinary school system is based on an adult conception of what a child should be and how a child should learn. It makes the child fit the school, not vice versa, as it’s supposed to be. The classroom atmosphere itself doesn’t reflect respect for individual worth of each pupil: the teacher confronts and controls pupils, pupils sit in rows and look at each others backs, there is no real communication and students can only speak when called to do so. But the process of education is the reflection of the society we live in. if children are constrained and humiliated buy teachers who show no respect, they will grow up to copy that model and wish to be in position to humiliate and constrain others. It’s the pattern of military control.
Teachers should initiate the process of progressive or child-centered approach, which is based on the pedagogy of cooperation, where the learner shares the responsibility for the decisions in the learning process. The teacher doesn’t impose the view on the pupils who passively follow, pupils learn to discuss and listen, to respect the contribution of each of them from the very start.
There are thoughts of developing an alternative school system, or rather reforming the state one beyond recognition. But this theory should work, when it’s put to practice. One of such alternative school systems was launched in the USA, in NY. This programme called – the City-as-School, works in the following way: high school students spend their days as part-time apprentices in various spheres. The programme is individually tailored to the students’ needs and interests. Credits are given for satisfactory completion of assignments and the student stand as good a chance of getting into a college as their counterparts from ordinary high schools. Many of the CAS students are those who where bored and unhappy with conventional education.
Whether one has like or dislike for the education they got, everything flows, everything changes. And the system of schooling should follow that pattern. New thought in pedagogy gives rise to alternative systems, which hopefully will replace the outdated system of today, which fails to meet the demands of the contemporary society.
Alternative school systems: pros and cons
Today alternative schools are often viewed as a good substitution for conventional schooling with its egalitarian approach, strict discipline and lack of options. And even though some people’s attitude to alternative schooling is suspicious, there are a lot of those who see it as a progressive and effective trend in education.
One of the advantages of such a school system is its child-centred approach, based on the conception that it is not the child who should fit the school, but the curricular and extra curricular activities should be tailored to children’s interests, needs and abilities. A student should be an active participant of the educational process.
Some people think an alternative school system aims mainly at students who are not doing well in conventional schools, decline discipline and disrupt classes. It is not true, though. Some of the main aspects of this type of schooling are to arouse interest in studies, to encourage personal and intellectual development, creativity, initiative and a sense of discovery.
One of such schools is New-York City-as-School. It is generally recognized as being one of the most successful of its kind. It’s a school without walls and its “classroom” is the city itself. Students spend their days in the theatres, museums, government offices and businesses of NY in a programme of part-time apprenticeships that are individually tailored to their interests and needs. One day a student assists in the running of the office, another day is spent at NY University where a student takes some courses. Students take interviews, write reports, assist at a TV casting agency, etc. The tasks are creative, require initiative, help to gain and develop practical, problem-solving, communication and study skills.
Students are accepted into City-as-School after an interview; the only academic requirement is two years of basic mathematics and science at a high school. Credits are given for satisfactory completion of each assignment, so that the students stand as good a chance of getting into a college as their counterparts in conventional high schools. The founders of the school want it to be up to scratch and to meet the requirements of the present-day situation.
Most of the students of the CAS are young people who were unhappy and bored with conventional education. They dropped out of it because they felt it stifled them from being original and stuffed them with unnecessary knowledge. There they were just a number.
Another example of an alternative school is Summerhill. Its main principle is child’s freedom of expression. This approach renounces all discipline, all direction, all moral training and instruction. It is based on a complete belief in the child as a good, not an evil, being, who needs love and approval. Friendly and warm atmosphere eliminates the problem of truancy, school violence, vandalism and homesickness.
There are, however, some lingering doubts as to whether this kind of education can totally replace the traditional academic development and not to worsen academic achievement. The thing is that the knowledge one acquires should be systematically and logically structured. One needs to develop some basic skills before they decide what their major interest is.
To sum up, the issue is debatable and only further experience will show what kind of education system is more effective.
14.Alternative school system: pros and cons
Today alternative schools become more and more popular. And it was shown recently that graduates of the alternative schools reach really good results and they are going on to college without problems.
All alternative schools try to improve the educational system introducing some new methods, distinguishable from the original ones being used in the conventional schools.
Alternative School provides a structured learning environment and offers a variety of methods and materials that meet the individual needs of students, while maintaining clearly defined limits and strictly enforced consequences for inappropriate behavior.
Alternative School offers students the opportunity to acquire the academic and social skills that will allow them to return to their home schools and be successful. The curriculum is that of the Public Schools with emphasis on behavior modification, individualization, and small group instruction.
The Point Card System is a vital part of the school's program in some alternative schools. Students receive points as part of our behavior management program. The purpose of this system is to help students and teachers track the students’ progress in behavior and to help modify inappropriate behaviors. Points are earned for preparation, assignment, and consideration.
We can name some main aspects of the Alternative School system:
provides special education classes for learning disabled students and emotionally disturbed students.
offers a variety of instructional methods with an emphasis on individualization.
provides individualized counselling to help students develop self-discipline and to encourage good citizenship.
encourages parental involvement in the students' education and utilizes appropriate community agencies.
Alternative School's behavioral management system provides consequences for negative behavior and immediate reinforcement for positive behavior.
In New York the City-as-School idea itself is not new but the New York programme is generally recognized as being the most successful of its kind. CAS it’s a school without walls its ‘classroom’ is the city itself. 350 high school students between 15 and 18 spend their days in the theaters, museums, government offices and businesses of New York in a programme of part-time apprenticeships that are individually tailored to their interests and needs.
Students are accepted into CAS after an interview; the only academic requirement is 2year of basic mathematics and science at a high school. Credits are given, for satisfactory completion of each assignment, so that the students have the same chance of getting into an American college like students from ordinary high schools.
The NY CAS is viewed as a useful alternative way of dealing with these final school years. There is however still some lingering doubts as to whether his kind of Life experience can totally replace the academic development acquired in a classroom.
I think that CAS is a good chance for graduates to apply their knowledge in practice. Because unfortunately nowadays university programs include a great variety of subjects that don’t play any practical role. And in the result students have to study a lot of useless material when later they don’t know how to apply it in their job.
So if, for example, to split education into 2 parts: theoretical part (because it’s obvious that without background knowledge, students will not be able to work) and practical part (in order to see how to apply their knowledge in real life) it will be a perfect combination, and it will help the graduates to build the future career.
School choice is one of the hottest issues in education. Alternative education or alternative schools are not really a new concept. It has its roots deep in the past. For example in Britain or in colonial America, we can see that education was conducted by the wealthy or offered to the general population by the rich people or by religious groups.
Among the types of alternative school opportunities are the elite and costly private schools, the schools with a religious orientation, and the recently revived home schools.
There are many reasons why parents choose to opt out of the state system and send their children to private schools. Some are opposed to mixed schooling (most private schools are single-sex, at least until the age of 16): some are opposed to the comprehensive system, believing that, for example, mixed-ability classes do not make the best provision for the most and least able children. Others believe that there are social advantages to be gained from attending certain schools, particularly the exclusive public schools, which are the most expensive. These parents therefore feel they ought to make substantial sacrifices to give their children a good start in life.
Private education has become one of Britain and America’s liveliest growth sectors. More and more parents seem prepared to take on the formidable extra cost of buying the kind of education they prefer for their children. As a result many fee-paying schools have long waiting lists.
To pay school fees, most parents have to cut down on their household expenditure, mainly holidays and travel. They have to find ways of increasing the income.
Recently one more alternative school system has been invented - the City-as-School.
In New York the City-as-School idea itself is not new but the New York programme is generally recognized as being the most successful of its kind. CAS it’s a school without walls its ‘classroom’ is the city itself. 350 high school students between 15 and 18 spend their days in the theaters, museums, government offices and businesses of New York in a programme of part-time apprenticeships that are individually tailored to their interests and needs.
Students are accepted into CAS after an interview; the only academic requirements is 2 years of basic mathematics and science at a high school. Credits are given, for satisfactory completion of each assignment, so that the students have the same chance of getting into an American college like students from ordinary high schools.
The NY CAS is viewed as a useful alternative way of dealing with these final school years. There is however still some lingering doubts as to whether his kind of Life experience can totally replace the academic development acquired in a classroom.
I think that CAS is a good chance for graduates to apply their knowledge in practice. Because unfortunately nowadays university programs include a great variety of subjects that don’t play any practical role. And as the result students have to study a lot of useless material when later they don’t know how to apply it in their job.
29.An ideal of a teacher.
A profession of a teacher is more than a profession; one should be cut out for it. Being a teacher means to participate in the process of a child’s development, to guide and set a child on the right track. Every of us has to deal with people of this profession and it depends on the teachers we met in our life what concept or image of the profession we have. For some people it is appealing while for others brings only a deterrent effect.
To my mind, there are no ideal teachers as well as there are no ideal people. The profession of a teacher is a mixture of professional skills and a personality, sometimes these qualities surpass one another, sometimes they are equal, but there is definitely no ideal personality as it’s simply impossible to define, because tastes differ.
As far as professional qualities that underpin effective teaching are concerned the criteria of perfection are more explicit here and can be evaluated. The professional characteristics that are said to be important come under five clusters: professionalism - meaning such things as being confident and creating trust - thinking, planning, leading and relating to others. The three aspects of the atmosphere in a classroom which are particularly important to pupils' learning are encouragement to engage, no disruption of classes and high level of expectations.
Very often we can hear people saying “teachers do not teach properly”. To give an argument in favor of teachers I would say that one should take into account that teachers are living beings but not machines to work properly or improperly. The target of a teacher is to supply with information and to teach children how to orient in it.
Taking into account the circumstance that we live in the age of information overload, teachers cannot substitute computers but they are absolutely necessary to help children to absorb the information.
Of course there are dedicated people in any profession, those who contribute of their time and talent put their heart into teaching. Such teachers can hardly be eliminated from the minds of their pupils and remain in memory forever. Presumably, such examples can be an ideal of a teacher. There are some definitions of what makes a good teacher, according to pupils aged 12 and 13:
They say a good teacher . . .
is kind
is generous
listens to you
encourages you
has faith in you
keeps confidences
likes teaching children
likes teaching their subject
takes time to explain things
helps you when you're stuck
tells you how you are doing
allows you to have your say
doesn't give up on you
cares for your opinion
makes you feel clever
treats people equally
stands up for you
makes allowances
tells the truth
is forgiving.
6.Censorship: A Curse or a Blessing
Undoubtedly it is sex and violence, which attract the most of the public attention. Many people are outraged at the frankness of contemporary films. Although others may appreciate the greater freedom it reflects. But people’s views on what is permissive differ widely, that’s why it’s impossible to define whether censorship is a curse or a blessing.
On the one hand it limits people’s freedom to watch what they like. Banning some films or programs out of ethical reasons may lead to the fact that the viewers can get used to take it for granted, even if they do not agree with something. It may lead to the situation when some TV-shows or movies will be forbidden out of political reasons, but the audience will become so indifferent and passive, that won’t even notice this.
On the other hand censorship is essential in our contemporary world. Today too many explicit scenes of sex and violence are shown on TV. Some people consider it offensive; they cannot tolerate casual inclusions of swearing before the notional watershed either. Foul language, gratuitous sex scenes and excessive violence have a detrimental effect on children and encourage them to imitate that cruel behavior, which they see on the screen. That’s why censorship should exercise control on what is shown, especially before the watershed.
According to the poll, held in GB, parents are not much concerned about their children’s viewing. They throw the onus on program-makers, which is cowardly and irresponsible. While at home children cannot be prohibited from viewing by anyone except their parents. That’s why in order to provide the parents with some assistance, adult American movies now carry an “R” for Restriction Recommended.
The BBC also takes some measures to prevent young viewers from watching smutty shows and indecent вульг. movies. It announced a tough curb on TV sleaze, ordering sex, violence and bad language. News producers must take great care as well, so that not to linger on bloody consequences of an accident or a terrorist attack.
However, I consider that social responsibility is the best regulatory control. Not only censorship should filter the material for us to comprehend. We should define ourselves what is worth watching and what is trash. As far as 9 o’clock watershed goes, certainly it’s absolutely necessary, because it helps parents to make sure that their children don’t see what is indecent or sleaze.
6.Censorship: is it a curse or blessing?
From time to time demands are made that some form of censorship should be imposed on the proliferating television channels that show what are generally called `entertainment' programmes - serials, music videos, films and other programmes such as those which are called reality shows.
Some time ago the BBC announced a tough curb on TV sleaze, saying they would no longer tolerate explicit scenes of sex, violence and bad language. Its director declared the BBC aims to set the highest editorial and ethical standards in programme-making.
Soon after that a poll was conducted among viewers which showed that about 82% of those polled believe they should be able to make up their own mind what their household watches.
So, there occur contradictions whether we need censorship or whether it’ll be nothing but violation of our freedom of choice.
The issue is particularly debatable in the USA. Most Americans, because of cherished First Amendment rights, are extremely sensitive to any forms of censorship. Relative to other countries, however, the United States enjoys remarkable freedom from official monitoring of program content. "Cutting of scenes" is practiced far more in developing countries than in western countries.
So what exactly do we mean when we talk about censorship? It should be noted that the conceptions of censorship derive from Roman practice in which two officials were appointed by the government to conduct the census, award public contracts and supervise the manners and morals of the people. Today the scope of censorship has been expanded to include most media and involves suppressing any or all parts deemed objectionable on moral, political, military and other grounds. With regard to television, censorship usually refers to the exclusion of certain topics, social groups or language from the content of broadcast programming. At issue here is who are the people empowered to choose for others what they should watch, whether they really have a greater sensitivity, taste, creative perception and wisdom to decide on what is appropriate and what is objectionable. And won’t it all turn into one more means of controlling and influencing public opinion which will be efficiently used by the state or managers to constrain and silence contrary or controversial views.
So, on the one hand people admit that something should be done to improve the quality and the content of the media, but on the other hand people oppose any possibility of limitations of their right to choose freely what they consider best in a free market where a competing companies offer their products.
To solve a dilemma, the media producers in western countries have decided to open a possibility of self-censorship. A self-imposed rating system has been introduced which can guide responsible parents and be a sort of indication of the suitability of programmes. For example, the contents of "G" rated movies are considered suitable for all audiences, "GP" requires parental guidance, "R," "X," and NC17 (no children under 17) are considered appropriate for adults. Again, it should be emphasised that these standards are offered as a guide to audiences and have never been strictly enforced.
Besides, further steps have been taken to counter public criticism and government censorship. Producers and the networks have agreed to begin a ratings system which could be electronically monitored and blocked in the home. Thus, parents could effectively censor programming which they found unsuitable for their children while still allowing the networks to air adult-oriented programming.
Moreover, an attempt was made to introduce a "family viewing concept," according to which television networks would agree to delay the showing of adult programs until children were, presumably, no longer among the audience. In Great Britain there is a notional watershed at 9 p.m., fixed by the BBC and IBA, after which more violent and intimate scenes can be shown and adult themes explored.
Clearly, the question of censorship in television continues to vex programmers, producers, government officials, and viewers. No immediate solution to the problems involved is apparent.
12.Conventional schooling in Belarus: problems and ways of their solution.
School's mission is to promote intellectual growth in students providing a healthy emotional atmosphere, developed by positive interpersonal relationships between the stuff, students and community.
However, the possibility of schools to reach its main target depends:
on the approach which is chosen to fulfill educational goals and reach high academic standards and
on the role that is ascribed to teaching and learning processes.
Conventional schooling presupposes traditional forms of educating students through a teacher-centered approach, relying on
1) lecturing as a way of transmitting information and
2) test examination system as a way of knowledge control. * And it should
The Republic of Belarus has a highly developed system of education, which proves adult literacy rate (99.8%). However, the system of school teaching here -- conventional schooling -- has become nowadays the subject of multiple critiques. There are those who believe that this type of schooling does not well foster children's potential. Conventional schooling stifles curiosity and kills motivation. Children are regarded just as numbers.
Due to the big number of students in classes and limited amount of time it's impossible for teachers to 
find an individual approach to each student and to create a high motivation level for the subject. Teachers, due to low salaries, lack incentive and inspiration to give off their best. Rather than nurturing learning, the teacher's presence and questions often inhibit in children thinking more about what the teacher wants rather than the actual subject at hand.
Truancy, lack of interest and important extra-curricular activities, lack of financing and of new modern equipment and appropriate discipline are the issues that Belarusian conventional schooling faces today and that demand thorough consideration and resolution.
Among the ways of improving the situation is to make education more learner-centered based on the pedagogy of cooperation where the learner shares the responsibility for decisions in the learning process, to minimize pressure upon students and give them more freedom to express their thoughts and opinions, to put the emphasis on creative thinking, to shorten the amount of students in each classroom and thus to establish a contact with each child, to create the atmosphere of trust, to make teacher's schedule less taxing without the detriment to their wages. There should be emphasis on universal human values. Teachers are to respect the view of students.
Thus the key targets of conventional schooling should be the development of personality, democratization and creative thinking. Conventional education should be geared to all aspects of life, including employment. Such steps will help to inspire students to go to schools. On the whole, schools, parents and the state should integrate in order to build an educated society.
8,All the means are good if a correspondent wants to get news?
People often complain that journalists are unfair, irresponsible and arrogant. They are completely dissatisfied with their interpretation of events, asserting that journalists are always emphasizing the negative, the sensational, the abnormal rather than the normal. Critics express their irritation when they accuse the press of trying to tear down their own country. But some observers link this criticism to rising standards in journalism, while they are convinced that press is more professional, responsible careful and ethical than it ever has been. Thus, we may say that it is an issue of debate and controversy.
It’s an open secret that reporters are sometimes seen as heroes who expose wrongdoing on the part of the government or big business, which adds some glamour to the profession of journalism. But there is a feeling that the press sometimes goes too far, crossing the fine line between the public’s right to know, on the one hand, and the right of individuals to privacy and the right of the government to protect the national security. The right to privacy is meant to protect an individual’s peace of mind and security. Journalists can not barge into people’s homes or waylay (подкарауливать) them in quiet places or just in the streets in order to seek out news and expose their private lives to the public. In many cases the courts decide when the press has overstepped the bounds of its rights, and one can’t deny that very often they decide in favour of the press.
Of course every modern society has its own laws against libel (any false and malicious writing or picture that exposes a person to public ridicule or injures his reputation). Besides, it depends on the particular news organization which has its own rules and guidelines on such matters. For instance, most newspapers don’t publish the names of rape victims or of minors accused. In recent years more news organizations are settling cases out of court to avoid costly and embarrassing legal battles. Editors say that major libel suits have a chilling (terrible) effect on investigative reporting. This means that for fear of being involved in a costly libel suit, the reporter or news organization may avoid pursuing a controversial story although revelation of that information might be beneficial to the public.
Thus, society faces a classic conflict between two deeply held beliefs: the right to know and the right to privacy and fair treatment.
One should admit that every year, hundreds of journalists are killed in hot spots covering other people’s wars. Many die in their own countries while investigating suspected links between drug traffickers, terrorists and the government. Even more frequently journalists are imprisoned, tortured or ‘disappeared’. It is the price to keep the public informed, to get the picture worth a thousand stories, the right image perfectly captured that can stop wars or start them, save smb’s lives and alter the whole world. But the question is: do all war correspondents start with such high-minded intentions while risking and jeopardizing their lives? Or are they just adrenaline junkies (наркоман) who must flirt with death in order to feel alive? It’s difficult to answer and depends mostly on the kind of person. Obvious is one thing: one needs to be a detective, a con man (обманщик) and a master of escape.
‘Reporters without Borders’ is an association defending journalists and other media contributors who have been imprisoned or persecuted for just doing their work. It believes that imprisoning or killing a journalist is like eliminating a key witness and threatening everyone’s right to be informed. It also speaks out against the abusive treatment and torture that is still common in practice in many countries, provides financial and other types of support to their needy families and works to improve the safety of journalists world-wide, particularly in war zones.
25.Dersingham
Howard Bromport Dersingham, Twigg & Dersingham's owner, was a year or two under forty, tallish, fairly well-built but beginning to sag a little; his hair, which was now rapidly taking leave of him, was light brown, and his eyes light blue, and they neither sparkled nor pierced but just regarded the world blandly and amiably.
At first glance he looked quite out of place in the haphazard office he ran, as he could have been easily taken for one of the successful city businessmen. In reality, though, he represented just a rough, weakly unfinished sketch of the type. Although Mr Dersingham did look clean and healthy, he was a little flabby and none too intelligent. He had ordinary, masculine English features, neither very good nor very bad, very strong nor very weak.
Dersingham didn’t manage to get an appropriate education for the class of people he thought he belonged to. He was a tremendous old boy as the author puts it. He finished one of second-class public schools and his parents meant to send him on to Cambridge or Oxford, but never did as they suddenly lost their money and so their son was compelled to stroll into business. In spirit, however, he went on to the university and thus he became one of those men who are haunted by a lost Oxford or Cambridge career.
Before the war he tried his hand in various things, but wasn’t very successful. After the war his uncle took pity of him as a returned hero and took him into business, eventually leaving it to him.
Dersingham was really a decent, kindly soul, stupid though he might be. He drank steadily but not too much for reasonable health and decency, delighted in detective, disliked literature, art and music, cranks and fanatics of every kind, most foreigners, anything or anybody really mean or cruel (when he could see the meanness and cruelty), and all the opinions that newspaper editors asked him to dislike.
He had one or two real friends, a host of acquaintances, and a wife and two children whom he did not understand but of whom he was genuinely fond. Dersingham imagined himself to be an aristocrat and a successful businessman. The family occupied a lower maisonette in an eminently respectable but a trifle dreary region. Although they didn’t like the place they lived at, Mr. Dersingham never did anything about it, because he was waiting until he knew where he stood financially.
He liked people to observe outward manners and treat him with respect. He even invited Golspie, whom he considered to be an outsider, to dinner because it was decent and appropriate from his point of view. Dersingham seemed to be quite confident in what he did, but could be easily influenced by other people and swindled. His workers viewed him as feeble, a fool, not good at business, too vague, pink, flabby person. He was even somewhat afraid of Miss Matfield. He’s described as Large pink throughout the novel, which suggests the author’s ironical attitude towards him and emphasizes his futility as a businessman.
Dersingham wanted to outwit Golspie by sneaking the agency for himself, but he failed. Not knowing that Golspie and Mikorski were friends, he wrote him a letter in which he suggested another business agreement and leaving Golspie out. Whether in revenge or as a part of his plan, Golspie cleared out, leaving Dersingham in misery as the prices rise.
In his pursuit of gentleman’s life, Dersingham decided to try to find a job out East, although at the back of his mind he knew that the prospect was quite unrealizable. After loosing his business, he appeared to be half a man he usually as, a listless lump, but his wife felt twice as customarily self. He admitted that he was no businessman and no good thinker and had to bend in her will.
In my opinion, Priestley managed to skillfully portray Dersingham, who represents a whole class of people, neither businessman, nor aristocrats, who can’t find their place in the society, but are just silent victims of the epoch and life.
7.Do you think television reflects society or influences it?
Mass Media today is often called the fourth estate which is as powerful as the three others –the Lords Temporal, the Lords Spiritual and the Commons. One of its main functions is to provide information and news to the public, or in other words to impartially reflect society and world events. Its another function is to influence and form public’s opinion. Which of them is dominating is hard to say.
Many critics argue that television plays a decisive role in shaping social morals. It has been blamed for the decline of scores on scholastic achievement tests, for the growth of premarital and extramarital sex, for the increase of violence among juveniles, for the supposed collapse of family life and the increase in the divorce rate. It is said to have profoundly undermined society’s traditional values and standards.
They depict an ominous picture of a society helplessly glued to, and enslaved by television, a society that can no longer function in a normal co-operative way. Carried out by Harvard University, the research shows that as TV has become a drug of choice for an increasingly fast and self-occupied world, traditional family activities have disappeared, participation in local affairs and community life has collapsed and a damaging cult of isolationism has taken hold. TV has privatized and individualized people’s leisure time, disrupting the opportunity for social contact. It’s made its watchers suspicious, sceptical, socially inept, reclusive and disinterested in the way their communities are run.
It might be so, but my opinion is TV has just become a scapegoat which all the blame can be shifted on. No doubt, to some extent it influences our lifestyle, our interests, fashion. But it was not TV that made divorce acceptable in western society or that triggered a wave of sexually permissible behaviour. In fact, it was changes in society, and particularly in American society, that made all these things more acceptable on TV.
Broadcasters have always tailored their programming content to the public’s interests, needs and dominant values. Therefore, in the USA during the 1950s and 1960s programming content centred around the concerns of the nuclear family. Topics such as racism or sexuality which had little direct impact on this domestic setting were excluded from content. Indeed, ethnic minorities were excluded, for the most part, from the television screen because they did not fit into the networks' assumptions about the viewing audience. Sexuality was a topic allocated to the private, personal sphere rather than the public arena of network broadcasting. For example, the sexual relationship between Rob and Laura Petrie in The Dick Van Dyke Show during the mid-1960s could only be implied. When the couple's bedroom was shown, twin beds diffused any explicit connotation that they had a physical relationship. In addition, coarse language which described bodily functions and sexual activity or profaned sacred words were excluded from broadcast discourse.
In 1970s ratings researchers began to break down the viewing audience for individual programs according to specific demographic characteristics, including age, ethnicity, education and economic background. In this context, the baby boomer generation - younger, better educated, with more disposable income - became the desired target audience for television programming and advertising. Even though baby boomers grew up on television programming of the 1950s and 1960s, their tastes and values were often in marked contrast to that of their middle-class parents. Subjects previously excluded from television began to appear with regularity. All in the Family was the predominant battering ram that broke down the restrictions placed on television content during the preceding twenty years. Frank discussions of sexuality, even outside of traditional heterosexual monogamy, became the focal point of many of the comedy's narratives. The series also introduced issues of ethnicity and bigotry as staples of its content. The same with the image of women. All through the 1950s and early 1960s, the images of women on TV were what feminists would call “negative”; they were portrayed as half-woman, half-child, incapable of holding a job and balancing a checkbook (e.g. “I love Lucy”). Nowadays after three waves of feminism movement and the change into women’s social position and her role in the society, women are depicted as self-reliant, independent and career-oriented. There’re not stupid creatures any more, they’re personalities.
I believe these examples prove that the evil we ascribe to TV is in fact rooted in society itself. I have no argument with the idea that TV as well contains many messages that need close attention. There are a lot of shows that pander to the appetite for gratuitous violence or sexuality or stereotyping. But why do people then so fiercely oppose the idea of broadcasting censorship?
To sum up, TV both reflects and influences society, its values and lifestyle. We should just be more critical not only about the media but about ourselves as well.
16.Do you think that conventional schools meet the increasing demands of the society?
School’s mission is to promote intellectual and emotional growth of students, to provide them with basic knowledge and skills and prepare them for adult and professional life. Whether schools are able or not to achieve the set targets depends mainly on the approach they have chosen to fulfil educational goals and to reach high academic standards.
The educational system of this or that country is usually shaped and developed in accordance with the demands of the society.
Conventional schooling typical of government education system presupposes traditional forms of educating students through a teacher-centered approach relying on lecturing as a way of transmitting information and test examination system as a way of knowledge control. Many people think that this type of system can hardly meet the quickly changing demands of the society and is not geared to the competitive market economy and the situation of information overload. They believe it is unable to reveal and develop children’s potential and is not tailored to children’s needs and interests. Besides, it stuffs students with unnecessary knowledge what leads to swotting without understanding and loss of interest in a subject. This in its turn stifles the initiative and kills motivation.
Mixed-ability classes with 20-30 students do not make the best provision for the most and least able children. Besides, it is hard for teachers to organize a teaching process and to give equal attention to all students. Under these conditions, it is hard to find an individual approach to each student and increase their incentive to study hard. What is more, some teachers, due to low salaries, lack inspiration to give themselves over to teaching.
For these reasons many parents in Britain choose to opt out of the conventional state system and send their children to private schools. They are ready to cut down on their household expenditure and to make substantial financial sacrifices in order to give their offsprings a good start in life. Even a rise in private school fees cannot stop them. The figures show that the number of private school pupils in Britain has increased by 6% between 2002 and 2008, while during the same period the number of pupils attending state schools fell by 2%. One in 15 attends private school. The result is that fee-paying schools through the country are full, and many have long waiting lists.
These tendencies testify to the fact that conventional schooling standards have declined and are no longer able to meet the increasing demands of the post-industrial and information-based society.
7.Do you think TV reflects society or influences it?
To my mind TV plays a very important role in our lives and it permeates all spheres of it. First and foremost it is the main source of information today, when people are too busy to devote a lot of their time to reading books and newspapers and sometimes are not rich to have a PC. But some people are skeptical about TV and the detrimental effect that it exercises. They affirm that TV has undermined society’s traditional values and standards, TV is a real drug for some of us. TV world occupies a lot of our spare time, we forget about family activities, about participation in the local and community affairs, emerged in soap-operas or entertaining programmes.Some researchers say that TV has stripped away our gregarious nature and common interests. Cocooned in TV-shows world, people no longer know their neighbours, friends and even families. They don’t socialize, don’t think and most of them don’t care. An ominous picture of a society so helplessly glued to TV-screen is painted. The influence of TV is shown by the fact that people buy fewer books, they prefer moronic films like “Dumb and Dumber” to spending time with their families. Emerging in the US is remarkable new evidence of how television has profoundly undermined society’s traditional values and standards. Carried out by Harvard University, the research shows that as TV has become the drug of choice for an increasingly fast and self-occupied world, traditional family activities have disappeared, participation in local affairs and community life has collapsed and a damaging cult of “get-out-of-my-face” isolationism has taken hold.Most of all TV gives people a biased view of political, social events taking place, which are rendered through the eyes of TV hosts, film maker, who obligatory have to express that or this point of view and support a certain political party and programme. Very often news coverage and evaluation of the events depend on the sponsors of the channel and authorities, who stand behind it.As for aesthetic upbringing, unfortunately there are too few programmes to be called art works, promoting beauty, moral values and high standards of those with educational purposes.The primary thought concerning TV (how it exerts influence on people) – its detrimental effect, increase of antisocial behaviour among children who are exposed to TV explicit scenes in westernized communities.I would say that TV doesn’t only influence people but also follows public opinion. It’s a common fact that people’s interest is a major factor for creating TV programmes. A lot can be said about sex and violence scenes; it’s like transference: people transfer their subconscious decrees and motifs on TV shows and some people even enjoy watching action films with a lot of fights and evidence in this way splashing out their negative emotions and feelings. The same with news programmes with the information replayed to the particular sort of people who feel “comfortable” namely with such coverage of news.
I believe that TV does not only influence people, (panders to and caters for their interests), having not only a negative but also a positive influence. Besides being the primary source of information in our rapidly changing world, TV serves to some extent to the development of a child (it develops visual memory, forms some basic notions and feelings such as dignity, kindness, co-operation and friendship), it provides people with useful knowledge about remote countries, making our world smaller and cosy.
2. Drug abuse-the plague of the century
Nowadays the problem of drug abuse is very acute, especially among young people. However, people who are addicted to drugs can be of any age and walk of life.
In Britain caffeine ('кэфин), nicotine, alcohol and barbiturates (ba’biturates) are all legal drugs.
They affect in a way that a person finds himself depending on a regular supply of them. The extent of dependence varies according to the person and the drug, but most people find it harder to give up even cigarettes or tea. This happens because most of us smoke, have a coffee or drink either as a way of calming ourselves down and relieving tension or as a way of bucking ourselves up, finding extra energy. These drugs become associated with their power to relieve certain feelings and a habit is formed.
In this connection it’s necessary to mention about stronger drugs such as opiates and cocaine(kou’kein) that can be habit-forming in just the same way. The drug taker comes to rely on the effect of the drug to produce a sensation of well-being and this reliance increases, until eventually dependence on a continual supply of the drug is established and an addictive habit is formed.
The reasons for taking drugs are various, but in some cases addiction will be life-long, in others may be a temporary phase which can be broken out of.
I’d like to mention that sometimes the drugs prescribed by the doctors can be even more dangerous. For example, a person who is bedridden and always suffers from great pain and is unable to sleep is usually addicted to barbiturates and takes them to achieve great comfort and a dreamy state of well-being. No wonder such people become dependent to them
Among pop stars there are lots of musicians who are stick to pot, for sure it’s an easy way to become mentally disturbed or turn to hard drugs. It’s a pity but most of pop stars continue to take drugs until their death.
Frustration of career can also lead to hard drugs.
Drugs-both legal and illegal-have accompanied humans since the beginning of civilization. But approaches on how to deal with them today continue to differ.
to draft effective drug policies (Eastern Europe, rapid opening of borders)
there is clear trend toward greater emphasis on education and treatment, rather then repression
parents turning to politicians for solutions(opening of new trade routes-international organized crime-availability of new narcotics-emergence of new diseases)
treatment and prevention rather than interdiction and prosecution
the establishment of needle exchange programs, preventing the further spread of disease
to educate people, to maintain flexible policies that are periodically revised
to stay on top of trends, change policies when needed and remain educated(prodigies of chemistry)
to teach ourselves and our children to live in such a world
12. Conventional schooling in Belarus: problems and ways of their solution.
Education is among national priorities in the Republic of Belarus. Compulsory secondary, free of charge higher education for majority of students and advanced legislative base are the main features of Belarusian system of education, which has been shaped and developed on the basis of national traditions and global tendencies in the sphere of education. It provides equality of access to all stages, a unity of its constituent elements and requirements, and the continuity of all education stages.
There are about 2687 comprehensive schools, 115 gymnasiums, 26 lyceums, 40 boarding secondary schools, 21 sanatorium-schools, 20 special schools and 67 boarding special schools for disabled children in Belarus. Their number falls down slowly according to the birth rate in some regions. The most significant decrease is obtained among primary schools in small settlements where local budgets cannot allocate satisfactory funds.
The Republic of Belarus has created a consistent system of educational establishments, which ensures that education is accessible at all stages and meets the international standards and priorities. Every child has equal opportunity to obtain high-quality education that centers around his needs and seeks to deliver the appropriate psychological, medical and pedagogical support.
Problems of the conventional education in Belarus:
One of the priority areas on which the government focuses in the sphere of education is increasing the quality and accessibility of rural education. Special attention is paid to the rural secondary school development. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to save the schools in villages with 5 – 10 pupils; consequently hundreds of such small schools were closed.
Special education system is established for children with disabilities who cannot attend conventional schools. The system provides them with equal opportunities to study and get a good education. The governmental policies that apply to the training and education of disabled children and children with psychological needs are based on the social integration and training such children in conventional or special classes of a conventional or special school, where children receive education in favorable conditions.
The effectiveness of a national education system to a very large degree depends on the quality of methodologies, training techniques, the availability of scientific, methodological, popular-science publications, electronic text-books and other instructional materials, which should be regularly updated.
Teacher-centered approach should be replaced by child-centered approach, which is based on pedagogy of co-operation where the learner shares in the responsibility for decisions in the learning process. The teacher doesn’t impose his/her plan on the pupils who passively follow. Pupils discuss things with each other and with the teacher, learn to listen to each other and to respect each other’s contribution to the learning process.
The primary effort in the field of international education activity involves developing a legal framework, increasing the economic efficiency of the international relations and integrating the national system of education in the educational field of CIS and Europe. Belarus is a full member of the Lisbon Convention of 1997, which was jointly prepared by UNESCO and the Council of Europe. All these factors put Belarus in a position, which enables it to seek efficient solutions to the problem of international co-operation and train increasing numbers of foreign students in Belarus.
Future trends in the education system:
Further development of the educational system in Belarus will involve active application of health friendly technologies;
provision of seamless continuity of the preschool and secondary education;
deployment of modern computer equipment in secondary schools;
development and implementation of information and communication technologies in the educational process and distance learning methods for people with special psychological needs.
15. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF EGALITARIAN EDUCATION.
Children’s intelligence, musical ability, physical endurance vary enormously from individual to individual: some children are musical geniuses at the age of 4 or 5, and others are what is generally called tone-deaf; there ate mathematical geniuses, and children who are hopeless at maths.
Some experts claim that most of these differences are born in the child; others say that they are the result of early experiences. The most sensible attitude is that they are partly the result of heredity and partly of the cultural and social background.
There is a wide range of ability between different children in a large number of different skills and abilities, so the scholars worldwide are preoccupied what to do about it in the schools.
Some scholars believe in an egalitarian approach – which presupposes giving all children equal opportunities in all subjects regardless of their abilities. Others come out for an elitist approach, which means to encourage those who are outstanding in a particular thing.
It’s hard to say which of the approaches is more beneficial for society; each has both positive and negative sides.
Egalitarian education is designed to enable everyone to pursue subjects that they are good at, and at the same time to encourage social cohesion. But there are those who believe that the comprehensive system holds back the very bright children on whom the community will depend heavily in the years to come for inventiveness, decision-making ability and intellectual endurance which enable the country to compete successfully in the world of advanced technology.
As for selecting gifting children at a very early age (an elitist approach) and then sending them to schools in which they are given intensive training, it is also not a perfect way out. As a result of this selection, some children may slop through the net, and others may drop out before the end of the course.
It should be pointed out here as well, that success of education does not depend completely on the system of education chosen by the Government. The development of children’s abilities is influenced to a great extent by the society and family. In a society in which some children are so underfed that their brains do not receive enough protein to develop fully, or in which parents are so busy earning a living that they are unable to spend time stimulating their children’s brains , equal opportunities for all do not exist.
8.Ethnic problems
More than 30 years after the death of Luther Martin King, America is still divided along racial lines and despite a centuries-old influx of immigrants, ethnic problems still exist.