1、1The Tenth Period Check your progressTeaching goals 教学目标By reading the article students will learn the conflict in a family conflict between parents and children, and conflict between brothers and sisters.Teaching important points 教学重点Learning to get along with sisters and brothers is a normal part
2、of growth.How parents can be fair to each child and how parents reduce the fighting.Teaching difficult points 教学难点How to grasp the main idea of the text.Teaching methods 教学方法 Reading, discussing and practicing.Teaching aids 教具准备The multimedia computer.Teaching procedures look at the “A”answers for s
3、ome ideas on how to react to conflict situations. How to Write a Complaint Letter Include your name, address, and home and work phone numbers. Type your letter if possible. If it is handwritten, make sure it is neat and easy to read. Make your letter brief and to the point. Include all important fac
4、ts about your purchase, including the date and place where you made the purchase and any 8information you can give about the product or service such as serial or model numbers or specific type of service. State exactly what you want done about the problem and how long you are willing to wait to get
5、it resolved. Be reasonable. Include all documents regarding your problem. Be sure to send COPIES, not originals. Avoid writing an angry, sarcastic, or threatening letter. The person reading your letter probably was not responsible for your problem but may be very helpful in resolving it. Keep a copy
6、 of the letter for your records.Sample Complaint Letter Name of Contact Person, if available Title, if available Company Name Consumer Complaint Division, if you have no contact person Street Address City, State, Zip Code Dear (Contact Person): Re: (account number, if applicable) On (date), I (bough
7、t, leased, rented, or had repaired) a (name of the product, with serial or model number or service performed) at (location and other important details of the transaction). Unfortunately, your product (or service) has not performed well (or the service was inadequate) because (state the problem). I a
8、m disappointed because (explain the problem: for example, the product does not work properly, the service was not performed correctly, I was billed the wrong amount, something was not disclosed clearly or was misrepresented, etc.). 9 To resolve the problem, I would appreciate it if you could (state
9、the specific action you wantmoney back, charge card credit, repair, exchange, etc.). Enclosed are copies of my records (include copies of receipts, guarantees, warranties, canceled checks, contracts, model and serial numbers, and any other documents). I look forward to your reply and a resolution to
10、 my problem, and will wait until (set a time limit) before seeking help from a consumer protection agency or the Better Business Bureau. Please contact me at the above address or by phone at (home and/or office numbers with area code). Sincerely, Your name Enclosure(s) cc: (reference to whom you are
11、 sending a copy of this letter, if anyone)The clothes you wear. The food you eat. The color of your bedroom walls. Where you go and how you get there. The people you hang with. What time you go to bed.What do these things have in common, youre asking? Theyre just a few examples of the many hundreds
12、of things that your parents controlled for you when you were a child. As a kid, you didnt have a say in very much that went on; your parents made decisions about everything from the cereal you ate in the morning to the pajamas you wore at night. And its a good thing, too kids need this kind of prote
13、ction and assistance, because they arent mature enough to take care of themselves and make careful decisions on their own.But eventually, kids grow up and become teens. And part of being a teen is developing your own identity one that is separate from the identities of your 10parents. Its totally no
14、rmal for teens to create their own opinions, thoughts, and values about life; its what prepares them for adulthood.But as you change and grow into this new person who makes his or her own decisions, your parents may have a difficult time adjusting. They arent used to the new you yet they only know y
15、ou as the kid who had everything decided for you and didnt mind.In most families, its this adjustment that can cause a lot of fighting between teens and parents. You want to cover your walls with posters; they dont understand why you dont like your Sesame Street wallpaper anymore. You think its OK t
16、o hang at the mall every day after school; they would rather that you play a sport. Clashes like these are very common between teens and parents teens get angry because they feel parents dont respect them and arent giving them space to do what they like, and parents get angry because they arent used
17、 to not being in control.Its easy for feelings to get very hurt when there are conflicts like these. And more complicated issues like the types of friends you have or your attitudes about sex and partying can cause even bigger arguments, because your parents will always be intent on protecting you a
18、nd keeping you safe, no matter how old you are.The good news about fighting with your parents is that in many families the arguing will lessen as parents get more comfortable with the idea that their teen has a right to certain opinions and an identity that may be different from theirs. It can take
19、several years for parents and teens to adjust to their new roles, though. In the meantime, concentrate on communicating with your parents as best you can.Sometimes this can feel impossible like they just dont see your point of view and never will. But talking and expressing your opinions can help yo
20、u gain more respect from your parents, and you may be able to reach compromises that make everyone happy. For example, if you are willing to clean your room in order to stay out an hour later, both you and your parents walk away with a good deal. Keep in mind, too, that your parents were teens once
21、and that in most cases, they can relate to what youre going through.11Steves mind wanders as he does his homework. “Im never going to do well on this history test,“ he thinks. “My dads right, Im just like him Ill never amount to much.“ Distracted, he looks down and thinks how skinny his legs are. “U
22、gh,“ he says to himself. “I bet the football coach wont even let me try out when he sees what a wimp I am.“Julio is studying for the same history test as Steve, and hes also not too fond of the subject. But thats where the similarity ends. Julio has a completely different outlook. Hes more likely to
23、 think, “OK, history again, what a pain. Thank goodness Im acing the subject I really love math.“ And when Julio thinks about the way he looks, its also a lot more positive. Although he is shorter and skinnier than Steve, Julio is less likely to blame or criticize his body and more likely to think,
24、“I may be skinny, but I can really run. Id be a good addition to the football team.“We all have a mental picture of who we are, how we look, what were good at, and what our weaknesses might be. We develop this picture over time, starting when were very young kids. The term self-image is used to refe
25、r to a persons mental picture of himself or herself. A lot of our self-image is based on interactions we have with other people and our life experiences. This mental picture (our self-image) contributes to our self-esteem.Self-esteem is all about how much we feel valued, loved, accepted, and thought
26、 well of by others and how much we value, love, and accept ourselves. People with healthy self-esteem are able to feel good about themselves, appreciate their own worth, and take pride in their abilities, skills, and accomplishments. People with low self-esteem may feel as if no one will like them o
27、r accept them or that they cant do well in anything.12We all experience problems with self-esteem at certain times in our lives especially during our teens when were figuring out who we are and where we fit in the world. The good news is that, because everyones self-image changes over time, self-est
28、eem is not fixed for life. So if you feel that your self-esteem isnt all it could be, you can improve it.Self-Esteem ProblemsBefore a person can overcome self-esteem problems and build healthy self-esteem, it helps to know what might cause those problems in the first place. Two things in particular
29、how others see or treat us and how we see ourselves can have a big impact on our self-esteem.Parents, teachers, and other authority figures influence the ideas we develop about ourselves particularly when we are little kids. If parents spend more time criticizing than praising a child, it can be har
30、der for a kid to develop good self-esteem. Because teens are still forming their own values and beliefs, its easy to build self-image around what a parent, coach, or other person says.Obviously, self-esteem can be damaged when someone whose acceptance is important (like a parent or teacher) constant
31、ly puts you down. But criticism doesnt have to come from other people. Like Steve in the story above, some teens also have an “inner critic,“ a voice inside that seems to find fault with everything they do. And, like Steve, people sometimes unintentionally model their inner voice after a critical pa
32、rent or someone else whose opinion is important to them.Over time, listening to a negative inner voice can harm a persons self-esteem just as much as if the criticism were coming from another person. Some people get so used to their inner critic being there that they dont even notice when theyre put
33、ting themselves down.13Unrealistic expectations can also affect a persons self-esteem. People have an image of who they want to be (or who they think they should be). Everyones image of the ideal person is different. For example, some people admire athletic skills and others admire academic abilitie
34、s. People who see themselves as having the qualities they admire such as the ability to make friends easily usually have high self-esteem.People who dont see themselves as having the qualities they admire may develop low self-esteem. Unfortunately, people who have low self-esteem often do have the q
35、ualities they admire. They just cant see that they do because their self-image is trained that way.Why Is Self-Esteem Important?How we feel about ourselves can influence how we live our lives. People who feel that they are likable and lovable (in other words people with good self-esteem) have better
36、 relationships. They are more likely to ask for help and support from 14friends and family when they need it. People who believe they can accomplish goals and solve problems are more likely to do well in school. Having good self-esteem allows you to accept yourself and live life to the fullest.Steps
37、 to Improving Self-EsteemIf you want to improve your self-esteem, here are some steps to start empowering yourself:Try to stop thinking negative thoughts about yourself. If youre used to focusing on your shortcomings, start thinking about positive aspects of yourself that outweigh them. When you cat
38、ch yourself being too critical, counter it by saying something positive about yourself. Each day, write down three things about yourself that make you happy. Aim for accomplishments rather than perfection. Some people become paralyzed by perfection. Instead of holding yourself back with thoughts lik
39、e, “I wont audition for the play until I lose 10 pounds,“ think about what youre good at and what you enjoy, and go for it. View mistakes as learning opportunities. Accept that you will make mistakes because everyone does. Mistakes are part of learning. Remind yourself that a persons talents are con
40、stantly developing, and everyone excels at different things its what makes people interesting. Try new things. Experiment with different activities that will help you get in touch with your talents. Then take pride in new skills you develop. Recognize what you can change and what you cant. If you re
41、alize that youre unhappy with something about yourself that you can change, then start today. If its something you cant change (like your height), then start to work toward loving yourself the way you are. Set goals. Think about what youd like to accomplish, then make a plan for how to do it. Stick
42、with your plan and keep track of your progress. Take pride in your opinions and ideas. Dont be afraid to voice them. Make a contribution. Tutor a classmate whos having trouble, help clean up your 15neighborhood, participate in a walk-a-thon for a good cause, or volunteer your time in some other way.
43、 Feeling like youre making a difference and that your help is valued can do wonders to improve self-esteem. Exercise! Youll relieve stress, and be healthier and happier. Have fun. Ever found yourself thinking stuff like “Id have more friends if I were thinner“? Enjoy spending time with the people yo
44、u care about and doing the things you love. Relax and have a good time and avoid putting your life on hold. Its never too late to build healthy, positive self-esteem. In some cases where the emotional hurt is deep or long lasting, it can take the help of a mental health professional, like a counselo
45、r or therapist. These experts can act as a guide, helping people learn to love themselves and realize whats unique and special about them.Self-esteem plays a role in almost everything you do. People with high self-esteem do better in school and find it easier to make friends. They tend to have better relationships with peers and adults, feel happier, find it easier to deal with mistakes, disappointments, and failures, and are more likely to stick with something until they succeed. It takes some work, but its a skill youll have for life.
