Dr. Benjamin Spock
(May 2, 1903 – March 15, 1998)
Dr. Benjamin Spock, the pediatrician who influenced millions of parents in the United States and around the world, died on March 15, 1998 at the age of 94. He was born in New Haven, Connecticut on May 2, 1903.
Dr. Spock’s book Baby and Child Care was first published in 1946 and became a best-seller. Many parents considered it to be the bible of parents in raising their children. Dr. Spock wrote: “Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do”. His idea was to let parents know that nothing about raising children was carved in stone and to trust themselves and their instincts. He knew that every baby was an individual and that what worked for one might not for another. He said: “Respect children because they’re human beings and they deserve respect, and they’ll grow up better people”. Not all the pediatricians agreed with him. They even named him “the father of permissiveness”. But Spock said he never meant that parents should let their children be stubborn or impolite. However, his ideas were very popular with a lot of parents.
Spock became a leading figure in demonstrations against U.S. participation in the Vietnam War (1959–1975). In 1972 he ran for president as the candidate of the left-wing People’s Party, and four years later he was the party’s vice-presidential candidate. He remained active in politics well into his 80s, giving lectures opposing nuclear weapons.
Spock’s later books included Feeding Your Baby and Child (coauthored in 1955), A Teenager’s Guide to Life and Love (1971) and Raising Children in a Difficult Time (1974). His autobiography Spock on Spock was published in 1989.
Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2005
GLOSSARY:
| to deserve respect | заслуживать уважение |
| to run for president | баллотироваться в президенты |
| left-wing People’s Party | левая народная партия |
| opposing nuclear weapons | против ядерного оружия |
WORDS FOR MEMORIZING:
| a pediatrician | педиатр |
| to influence somebody | влиять на кого-то |
| influence on | влияние |
| to consider | считать |
| to raise children (to bring up children) | воспитывать детей |
| to trust | доверять (Trust yourself – верьте в себя!) |
| to let | позволять, разрешать |
| to be carved in stone (an idiom) | являться прописной истиной, непререкаемым фактом (букв. быть высеченным в камне), не является окончательным |
| respect | уважение, to respect – уважать |
| a human being | человек |
| to agree | соглашаться |
| permissiveness | вседозволенность |
| stubborn | упрямый |
| impolite | невежливый, неучтивый |
| however | однако |
| upbringing | воспитание |
Find the English equivalents in the text:
влиять, родители, любовь, в возрасте, быть опубликованным, разрешить/позволить, инстинкты, индивидуальность/личность, достойные (букв. лучшие) люди, соглашаться, ключевая фигура, левая партия, выступать/читать лекции, в соавторстве.
TEXT COMPREHENSION
1. What type of text is “Dr. Benjamin Spock” (an advertisement of books, a biography, an autobiography or something else)? Why do you think so?
2. Answer the questions:
a) Who was Mr. Spock?
b) What were the books by Dr. Spock about?
c) Why was the book Baby and Child Care so popular with parents?
d) In what way were the views of Dr. Spock revolutionary?
e) What did Dr. Spock do as a politician?
f) What nickname did Dr. Spock get for his liberal views?
3. Fill in the table using information from the text.
| The Date | What happened? |
| May 2, 1903 | Dr. Spock was born. |
| 1946 | |
| 1955 | |
| 1971 | |
| 1972 | |
| 1974 | |
| 1989 | |
| March 15, 1998 |
4. Read the following plans to the text. In what way are they different? Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of all of them. Which plan would you personally use to retell the text?
Plan A.
1) an introduction
2) Spock’s ideas
3) Dr. Spock as a politician
4) the latest books by B. Spock
Plan B.
1) When was B. Spock born? When did he die?
2) What did Dr. Spock write?
3) Which of Spock’s ideas became popular?
4) What’s Spock’s role in the political and social life of the USA?
Plan C.
1) Dr. Spock was born …, died …
2) Dr. Spock’s book Baby and Child Care became …
3) Dr. Spock wrote: “Trust yourself…”, “Respect children…”
4) “the father of permissiveness”
5) a leading figure in demonstrations
6) Dr. Spock’s later books included…
Plan D. – see exercise No. 3.
• What makes a good plan? Formulate some rules of plan-building.
• They say notes should be the outcome of understanding but not a prelude to it. Do you agree with the statement?
Speech Activities
1. Points for discussion:
a) Do you think it’s better to be a strict parent or a permissive one?
b) Parents usually more or less limit their children’s freedom. At what age, in your opinion, should children be given more freedom?
c) Not all parents are good educators, are they? Should parents trust themselves or entrust their children’s upbringing to professionals?
d) What makes a happy family?
2. Role play. Choose a role (a strict parent, a permissive parent, a grandparent, a psychologist, a teacher, a teenager) and take part in a discussion. The topic is “Is it better to be a strict or a permissive parent?”
During the discussion you can use the following words and expressions:
| I think = in my opinion = to my mind | я думаю, по моему мнению, я считаю |
| to make decisions | пронимать решения |
| to raise a child = to bring up a child | воспитать ребенка |
| to cope with problems | справляться с проблемами |
| to take care of | заботиться |
| freedom | свобода |
| independent | независимый |
| obedient | послушный |
3. Debate the proposals. Say if you agree with the following statements:
a) A rich family is a happy family.
b) In our country it is better to have only one child because it’s hard to earn enough for two children.
c) It’s easier to bring up a girl than a boy.
d) A child should always obey his or her parents. They know better what is good for their children.
e) It’s never too late to give birth to a child.
4. Make up a story based on the following words and expressions: to influence somebody, to consider, to let, upbringing, to agree, to trust, to respect, permissiveness, stubborn, impolite.
5. Read an anecdote and discuss it:
Before I got married, I had six theories about bringing up children, now I have six children and no theories.
Do you think upbringing is a matter of some professional knowledge and skills or instinct? Reason out your opinion. Do you personally have any “theory” about bringing up children?
Цитируется по: Степичев П.А. English for Social Teachers: учебное пособие по английскому языку для студентов факультета социальной педагогики. – М.: МГПИ, 2008.
Photo: www.commons.wikimedia.org