Deborah Kenny's "Born to Rise" Tells Story of Harlem Village Academies

　　A) Deborah Kenny, CEO of the Harlem Village Academies, is frustrated with the nation's current education system. Unlike most, though, she decided to do something about it. Part declaration part record, her book Born to Rise writes down her journey toward creating and running her own system of progressive charter schools in Harlem in New York City.

　　What is your educational philosophy?

　　B) We want our students to receive the same high-quality education as students who are privileged to attend the best private schools in the country. Personally, I believe a progressive education is superior as long as it's delivered by really smart, talented teachers who know how to execute well. It's a sophisticated approach that really only works well in the hands of a 　really sophisticated educator. We're dealing with a little bit of a challenge because students enter this school from the regular public system. And when they enter in fifth grade, they're not yet well-trained in the basics reading, writing, and math--which means that we have to catch them up on basic math skills, on the 'basics of writing. And many of them come in at a kindergarten, first, second-grade level in reading. So we have to accelerate their mastery of the basics, but we reject the idea that if you do that you can't teach that at a high level. We push ourselves constantly to think about how we can make sure that our students will catch up while we teach at the highest possible level. It means asking difficult, delicate questions, not accepting an answer that is not backed up by evidence, the kinds of things that you would expect to see in the best private schools. We aim for a high level in rich discussions where the students are asked to analyze a challenging text and where the teacher does not accept just any answer simply because the student is behaving. What makes the Harlem Village Academies different?

　　C) First of all, I have to say what we have in common with other charter schools because we have learned so much from them: creating an expectation that all students will attend college, naming classrooms after colleges, the longer school day, the longer school year. I feel it's important to give credit where credit is due because I learned from them. In those early years when I opened the school, most of these other schools bad been around for seven years, ten years, some of them even longer.

　　D ) As far as what makes us different, I'll tell you what the teachers say: teachers tell us that the level of professionalism and passion for teaching at a high level and teaching above the test, not to the test, and working in an environment, where everybody is trusted to do their job and continually learning--there's this incredible culture of learning. There's this incredible workplace culture where the adults are continually becoming better and learning more about how to become a better lead her. The teachers get to make all of the decisions 'about their own professional development rather than being enforced to at tend the training. They are treated like professional-grade' doctors and lawyers at the. Highest level. They actually make the decisions not only about what books to use and what teaehing methed, but even about what their own professional development Ioukslike.There's a very clear set of standards far what the students need to know and be "able to do at the end of each year and quarter, and we hold people accountable for that end goal. But we give them complete freedom to decide how they're going to achieve it, which is how all professionals are treated. Unfortunately, it's not how most teachers are treated inthis country. Most teachers are treated like factory workers, where there's a hig set ofrules on how they have to do everything.

　　What does the curriculum look like at Harlem Village Academy schools?

　　E) It looks like a classic liberal-arts curriculum, where math, reading, and writing are not the only subjects taught. Even if the state focuses its testing on those things, we do not let the state dictate our curriculum. We are interested in a rich curriculum that includes art and music and seience and social studies and a wide variety of electives, and character education is integrated throughout.

　　How do you address the criticisms people have regarding charter schools?

　　F) I'd say that the .main criticisms are stemming from the fact that in a charter system the teachers are not unionized, and they're treated as professionals instead of as manual laborers. The charter movement is challenging the current situation, it's eoming along and saying we used to completely change the underlying premiere ( 前提) of how we go about public education. Parents should be able to choose the scherzi. We should give power to all parents, regardless of socioeonomie level, to choose where they send their child, and that creates market competition: if you have an amazing school with caring teachers and great results, parents are going to ~ant to choose that school. The charter movement is putting the needs of children first anti is holding teachers accountable. It ehalleuges the notion of tenure (终身教职), where there's no accountability at all.

　　What's next for you and the Harlem Village Academies?

　　G) We are going to triple (增至三倍) in size in the next twn years. We will have a full K -12 system. We're starting two new elementary schools, we will be serving 2,000 children, but we are not eager to grow super-big. We want to use the platform of what we' re learned and the results that we've produced--that ant teachers have produced--to have an ational influence on policy and on teaching methods. The laws that govern how school srun constrain the ability of the printcipal to run the school well. They're not allowed to build a team. And building a team where teachers are trusted, happy and cooperative is really the foundation for an excellent school. So we want to find a way to get our message out nationally and continue to be part of the movement.

　　1. In the Harlem Village Academies. teachers can decide themselves how they are going to achieve the teaching objectives.

　　2. The charter movement challenges the tenure system in making children's needs apriority and holding, teachers responsible.

　　3. The Harlem Village Academies will be able to enroll 2,000 ehildren in the next twoyears

　　4. Deborah Kenny admits that she learns a lot from other charter schools.

　　5. The curriculum at Harlem Village Academies not only includes the subjects frequentlytested.

　　6.The Harlem Village Academies are eager to exert a national influence on policy and teaching methods.

　　7. Students entering the Harlem Village Academies are from the regular public system.

　　8. Deborah Kenny decides to create and run the Harlem Village Academies because sheis disappointed about the current education system.

　　9. Charter schools are mainly criticized for treating the teachers as professionals.

　　10. One of the challenges facing the Harlern Village Academies is how to accelerate students' mastery of the basics.

　　答案：

　　1.D).【题干译文】在哈勒姆村庄学校，老师们可以自己决定如何完成教学目标。【定位】由题千巾的Harlem Village Academics，teachers can decide themselves以及objectives定位到原文D)段倒数第三、四句：There’s a very clear set of standards for what the students need to know and be able to do at the end of cach year and quarter.and we hold people accountable for that end goal;But We give them I complete freedom to decides how they’re going to achieve it，…

　　【精解】由定位句可知，哈勒姆村庄学校对学生们到年末和季末需要掌握的知识有着明确标准，老师们负责达成这些目标，但是在达成目标的手段方面，老师们有绝对的自由。题干中的Call decide themselves和achieve the teaching objectives分别对应定位句中的give them complete freedom to decide和achieve it，故答案为D)。

　　2.F)。【题干译文】公办民营学校运动将学生需求放在首位，让老师负起责任，从而向终身聘任制发起挑战。

　　【定位】由题干中的charter movement和tenure system定位到原文F)段最后两句：The Charter movement is putting the needs of children first and is holding teacher>accountable.It challenges the notion of tenure(终身教职).where there’s no accountability at all.

　　【精解】由定位句可知，公办民营学校优先考虑学生的需要，让老师承担其责任.这与老师原来的“终身教职”的概念不同。题干中的making children’s needs a priority和holding teachers responsible分别对应原文中的putting the needs of children first和holding teachers accountable，故答案为F)。

　　3.G)，【题干译文】未来两年内，哈勒姆村庄学校将有能力接收2000名学生。

　　【定位】由题干中的2，000 children in the next two years定位到原文G)段第一句，

　　We are going to triple(增至三倍)in size in the next two years.和第三句：we’re starting two new elementary schools，we will be servin9 2，000 children...

　　【精解】定位句提到，哈勒姆村庄学校未来两年内规模将扩大三倍。后面的二、三句均是在补充说明第一句，具体描述规模扩大的程度，其中第三句提到，哈勒姆村庄学校将新建两所小学，届时将能接收2000名学生。题干中的will be able to enroll 2.000 children对应原文中的we will be servin9 2，000 children，题干中的in the next two years对应G)段第一句，故答案为G)。

　　4.C)。【题千译文】黛博拉•肯尼承认她从其他公办民营学校那学到了很多。

　　【定位】由题干中的Deborah Kenny和learns a lot from other charter schools定位到原文c)段第一句：First of all，I have to say what we have in common with other charter schools because we have learned so much from them...

　　【精解】由定位句可知，黛博拉•肯尼认为哈勒姆村庄学校与其他公办民营学校有相似之处，因为这些学校给予黛博拉•肯尼许多参考之处。题干中的learns a lot对应原文中的learned SO much，故答案为c)。

　　5.E)。【题干译文】哈勒姆村庄学校的课程不是只包含那些经常被测试的科目。

　　【定位】由题干中的curriculum at Harlem Village Academies和tested定位到原文E)段第一句：It looks like a classic liberal—arts curriculum，where math，readin9.and writing are not the only subjects taught.Even if the state focuses its testing on those things，we do not let the state dictate our curriculum.

　　【精解】由定位句可知，数学、阅读和写作是经常被测试的科目，但哈勒姆村庄学校不是只包含这些科目，他们不会让考试牵着鼻子走。题干中的not only includes the subject frequently tested是对原文中are not the only subjects taught和do not let the state dictate our curriculum的同义转述，故答案为E)。

　　6.G)。【题干译文】哈勒姆村庄学校迫切想要影响教育政策和方法。

　　【定位】由题干中的a national influence on policy and teaching methods定位到原文G)段第四句：We want to use the platform of what we’ve learned and the results that we’re produced--that our teachers have produced--to have a national influence On policy and on teaching methods.

　　【精解】由定位句可知，哈勒姆村庄学校并不急于扩张，而是要利用已有的平台和成果，在政策和教学方法方面产生全国性的影响。题干中的eager对应原文中的want;exert a national influence对应原文中的have a national influence，故答案为G)。

　　7.B)。【题干译文】进入哈勒姆村庄学校的学生来自普通的公立教育系统。

　　【定位】由题干中的Harlem Village Academies和regular public system定位到原文B)段第四句：We’re dealing with a little bit of a challenge because students enter this school from the regular public system.

　　【精解】由定位句可知，进入哈勒姆村庄学校的学生来自普通的公立教育系统，这给老师们的教育带来一些挑战。题干与定位句一致，故答案为B)。

　　8.A)。【题干译文】出于对现行教育制度的失望，黛博拉•肯尼决定创办哈勒姆村庄学校。

　　【定位】由题干中的Deborah Kermy decides to create and ran the Harlem Village Academies和current education system定位到原文A)段前两句：Deborah Kenny，CEO of the Harlem Village Academies，is frustrated with the nation’s current education system.Unlike most，though，she decided to do something about it.

　　【精解】由定位句可知，黛博拉•肯尼对现行教育制度感到失望，与多数人不同的是，她决定有所行动。结合全文可知，她的行动就是创办哈勒姆村庄学校。题干中的is disappointed about对应原文中的is frustrated with，其他的内容与原文一致，故答案为A)。

　　9.F)。【题干译文】公办民营学校遭到批评的主要原因是他们把老师当作职业人士看待。

　　【定位】由题干中的Charter schools are nminly criticized和professionals定位到原文F)段第一句：I'd say that the main criticisms are stern rning from the fact that in a charter system the teachers able not unionized，and they’re treated as professionals instead of as manual laborers.

　　【精解】由定位句可知，对于这一新兴的教育体系的大多数批评来自于一个事实，即这里把老师当作职业人士，而不是体力劳动者。题干中的are mainly criticized for对应原文中的main criticisms are stemming from，故答案为F)。

　　10.B)。【题干译文】哈勒姆村庄学校面临的挑战之一是如何让学生们快速掌握基础知识。

　　【定位】由题干中的challenges，Harlem Village Academies和mastery of the basics定位到原文B)段第七句：So we have to accelerate their mastery of the basics，but we reject the idea that if you do that you Can’t teach that at a high level.

　　【精解】由定位句可知，哈勒姆学校必须让学生们快速掌握基础知识，且该段前几句提到，哈勒姆学校的学生都来自公立教育系统，对基础知识的掌握情况不太理想，这是哈勒姆学校面临的挑战。题干是对定位句和B)段第四、五句的整合.故答案为B)。