Before Reading  

Ⅰ. English Song -- Teach Your Children

ⅰ. Introductory Remarks

 (“Ways of learning” is the topic of this unit. It is also the topic of the song you are about to listen to, called Teacher Your Children sung by Crosby, Stills and Nash.)

ⅱ. Teach Your Children

(Directions: ) Listen to the song and fill in the blanks with what you hear.

You, who are_____ , (= on the road)

Must _____ that you can live by. (=have a code)

And so, become yourself,

Because ______ is just a goodbye.(= the past)

Teach your children well,

Their father’s hell did slowly go by.

And feed them _____ , (=on your dreams)

The one they picks, the one you’ll know by.

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

And you, of tender years,

Can’t _____ that your elders grew by. (=know the fears)

And so please help them with your youth,

They_____  before they can die. (=seek the truth)

Teach your parents well,

Their children’s hell will slowly go by.

And feed them ______ , (=on your dreams)

The one they picks, the one you’ll know by.

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

ⅲ. Questions and Answers

1. What is a code that you can live by?

(= A set of rules to guide you on the road of life.)

2. Is the song only about how parents should teach their children?

(= No. The first part of the song is about how parents can teach their children through sharing with them their dreams. And in the second part, we are told that children also have something to teach their parents -- help them with your youth.)

3. Do you know anything about the singers?

ⅳ. Crosby, Stills and Nash

         The musical partnership of David Crosby (b. Aug. 14, 1941), Stephen Stills (b. Jan. 3, 1945), and Graham Nash (b. Feb. 2, 1942), was not only one of the most successful touring and recording acts of the late 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s -- with the colorful, contrasting nature of the members' characters and their connection to the political and cultural upheavals (动荡，剧变) of the time -- it was the only American-based band to approach the overall societal (社会的) impact of the Beatles. The resulting trio (三人组) was characterized by a unique vocal blend and a musical approach that ranged from folk to pop to hard rock. CSN's (initials of Crosby, Stills and Nash) debut album (首张唱片), released in 1969, was perfectly in tune (合拍) with the times, and the group was an instant hit.

Song-list :

Teach Your Children

  Southernman

Ohio

Woodstock

Ⅱ. About Education

ⅰ. A Survey

            Do you agree with the following statements?

1. Play is the best way to learn.

2. Children develop life skills best through formal programs.

3. Children are naturally curious, inspired, motivated learners, but

        sometimes the enjoyment of learning can get lost in the pressure to “succeed” in formal education.

4. Parents are the most important instructors to the children, so they should give as much guidance as possible.

ⅱ. A Practical Experiment

Two children are given hula hoops, a toy they are unfamiliar with.

Angela is given a hula hoop with instructions on how to use it.

Jonathan is given a hula hoop but no instructions.

What kind of outcomes do you expect?  

Angela learns to keep the hula hoop in motion by moving her body in certain ways.

Jonathan explores the hoop and discovers it's big enough to step through. He then balances the hoop between two objects and practices kicking a ball through the hoop.

How do you comment on these two outcomes?  

Both outcomes are good.

Angela learns a useful play skill.

Jonathan uses his hoop in a different, but equally playful way.

Which one do you think is better in developing the children’s creativity?  

Angela, because she followed the directions given, will have a skill she can use anytime she wants to move her body in that specific way. The outcome is limited to having followed directions and mastered a particular skill.

Jonathan, on the other hand, had the experience of exploring and discovering an item he was unfamiliar with. He used what he learned about this circular-shaped object to solve a problem of his own and incorporated (结合) the hula hoop as an innovative solution to help him do something that he wanted to do -- kick a ball through a target. Jonathan learned he could use his own observation and exploration to learn about new objects.

What conclusion can you draw from this experiment?

ⅲ. Education in the West

Much of the current debate over education surrounds the extent to which learning should be teacher-based or student-based. Which of the two should decide what should be learned, how it should be learned, and when it should be learned? Comparing Western and Asian methods of learning it is generally true that Western methods are more student-centered, expecting students to discover things for themselves rather than relying on their teachers to tell them. An extreme version of the student-centered approach can be seen at Summerhill, a school in England established by the educationalist A. S. Neill. There children have complete freedom to decide what they are going to learn and which lessons they will attend. If they wish they need not attend any at all. Mainstream education in England is far more strict, demanding that children attend lessons and follow a national curriculum. This curriculum and the importance of achieving good exam results tend to reinforce a more teacher-centered approach, as both teachers and students find the pressure of time leaves less opportunity for an exploratory approach to learning.

Ⅲ. Warm-up Questions

1. If you find a two-year-old boy is trying to put a key into a box, will you help him immediately?

2. Can you recall how your parents taught you in your childhood? Did they like to teach you by holding your hand?

3. Which way did you prefer when you were in trouble with one of your toys in your childhood, turning to your parents for help, or exploring by yourselves?

Global Reading

Ⅰ. Scanning

(Directions:) Scan Text A and decide whether the following statements are true or false.

1. Benjamin was worried that he couldn’t put the key into the box. (F)

(=Benjamin was not bothered at all.)

2. In the Chinese staff’s opinion, the parents should guide Benjamin to insert the key. (T)

3. The author and his wife didn’t care whether Benjamin succeeded in inserting the key into the slot. (T)

4. For the Westerners, learning should take place by continual careful shaping and molding. (F)

(= The Chinese think that learning should take place by continual careful shaping and molding.)

5. Chinese teachers hold the opinion that skills should be acquired as early as possible, while American educators think that creativity should be acquired early. (T)

Ⅱ. Part Division of the Text        

Ⅲ. Further Understanding

For Part I    Questions and Answers

1. How does the author introduce the topic in Text A?

2. Sum up the contrast between the attitude of the couple and that of the hotel staff toward Benjamin’s efforts in inserting the key into the slot.

For Part 2    Questions and Answers

1. Read the first sentence of both Para 6 and Para 7, and decide what method of comparison and contrast is used here.

2. Sum up the contrast between Chinese and Western ways to learn to fulfill a task.

3. Read from Para 11 to Para 13. Which method of comparison and contrast is used here?

4. The following are two types of attitudes toward creativity and basic skills. Which one belongs to the Chinese and which one belongs to the Westerners?

A) giving priority to developing skills at an early age, believing that creativity can be promoted over time.  

B) putting more emphasis on fostering creativity in young children, thinking that skills can be picked up later.

For Part 3    Multiple choice

There are many ways to conclude an essay. How does the author end this text?

A) Restating the main points previously mentioned.

B) Proposing a solution.

C) Quoting from some book or person.

D) Predicting future developments.

E) making a suggestion in the form of a question.