1. Read and translate the text.
Pedagogy is the art or science of being a teacher. The term generally refers to strategies of instruction, or a style of instruction. Pedagogy is also sometimes referred to as the correct use of teaching strategies. For example, Paulo Freire referred to his method of teaching adults as "critical pedagogy". In correlation with those teaching strategies the instructor's own philosophical beliefs of teaching are harbored and governed by the pupil's background knowledge and experiences, personal situations, and environment, as well as learning goals set by the student and teacher. One example would be the Socratic schools of thought.
The first major milestone in the history of education occurred in prehistoric times when man invented language. Language enabled man to communicate more precisely than he could by signs and gestures. But early man had only a spoken language. He had no system of writing or numbering and no schools.
Young people in prehistoric societies were educated through apprenticeship, imitation and rituals. Through apprenticeship a young man learned, for example, how to build a shelter by working with an older experienced master builder. Through imitation, young people acquired the language and customs of their parents and other adults in their society. Through the performance of rituals, they learned about the meaning of life and the ties that bound them to their group. The rituals consisted of dancing or other activities. They were performed at times of emotional stress, such as death, warfare, or drought. The rituals usually involved myths, which dealt with such things as the group's history and its gods and heroes.
Today, in all societies, young people still learn through apprenticeship, imitation and ritual. But as a society grows increasingly complicated, teachers and schools take on more and more responsibility for educating the young.
The role of a teacher is generally a very varied one. It does not only require a good knowledge of the subjects you teach. Teachers must also have the ability to communicate, inspire trust and confidence, and motivate students. An understanding of the students’ emotional and educational needs in respect to their individual background and cultural heritage is also very important. A teacher will also benefit from being organized, dependable, patient and creative.
The day of a teacher can look very different, depending on where you end up teaching, and which age groups. Different schools organize their teaching differently, and public schools in poor areas usually have more problems with a low motivation of the students, and run down facilities with large classes. Such circumstances can make teaching much more challenging and stressful, than it may be in a smaller private school where students are admitted selectively and classes are smaller.
Teaching brings many rewards and satisfactions, but it is a demanding, exhausting, and sometimes frustrating job. It is hard to do well unless you enjoy doing it. Teachers who do enjoy their work will show this in their classroom behavior. They will come to class prepared for the day's lessons and will present lessons in a way that suggests interest and excitement in promoting learning. When students achieve success, the teacher shares their joy.
refer to – относиться к
harbor – исходить
apprenticeship – учение
warfare – война
inspire – вдохновлять
goal – цель
invent – изобретать
performance – представление
confidence – доверие
benefit – извлекать пользу
correlation – соотношение
drought – засуха
bound – граничить
vary – отличаться
challenging – сомнительный
thought – мысль
shelter – убежище
admit – принимать
heritage – наследие
dependable – зависимый
2. Give English equivalents:
Школа мысли, знаки, общество, ответственность, требовательный, система письма, иметь дело с, возможность, вдохновлять, требовать, принимать, удовлетворение, регулировать, бедные районы, зависимый, по-разному, получать удовлетворение.
3. Translate these expressions:
Milestone, system of numbering, selectively, to achieve success, prehistoric times, to run down, rewards, frustrating, enabled man, promoting learning, meaning of life, critical pedagogy, to involve, environment, customs, apprenticeship, warfare, gestures.
4. Answer the questions:
1. What kind of job is teaching?
2. How did people learn about the meaning of life?
3. What was the first major milestone in the history of education?
4. What do the rituals usually involve?
5. What does the term “pedagogy” mean?
6. What does the role of a teacher require?
7. How do different schools organize their teaching?
5. Translate into English:
1. Обучение приносит много наград и удовольствий.
2. Учителя должны иметь способность общаться, вызывать доверие и уверенность и мотивировать учащихся.
3. Раньше у людей не было системы письма и чисел.
4. Ритуалы проводились в периоды войн, засухи или смерти.
5. Изобретение разговорного языка позволило человеку общаться более точно.
6. Так как общество становится все более сложным, учителя берут на себя больше ответственности за воспитание молодежи.
7. В доисторические времена учащиеся обучались путем подражания и обучения.
6. Read and translate the text.
Aristotle (384 BC – 322 BC) was a Greek philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. Aristotle is one of the most important founding figures in Western philosophy. Aristotle's writings were the first to create a comprehensive system of Western philosophy, encompassing morality and aesthetics, logic and science, politics and metaphysics.
Aristotle was an academic throughout his career. At the age of 18 he entered one of the most renowned centres of learning of his day, Plato’s Academy, where he became noted for the passion with which he devoted himself to his studies, particularly to reading, a trait which won him the nickname of ‘reader’. Then he built up the first great library which served as a model for the libraries of Alexandria and Pergamon. In 334 Aristotle returned to Athens and established his own school, the Lyceum. It was a type of university where research was pursued as an extension of higher education.
For Aristotle the goal of education is identical with the goal of man. Obviously all forms of education are explicitly or implicitly directed towards a human ideal. But Aristotle considers that education is essential for the complete self-realization of man. The supreme good to which all aspire is happiness. But for Aristotle the happy man is neither a noble savage, nor man in his natural state, but the educated man.
1. Who was Aristotle?
2. What was his goal of education?
3. Who was the happy man, according to Aristotle?
4. What was Lyceum like?
5. How did his ideas influence on Western philosophy?