American Model Teacher

Karen Adkins and Roy Adkins drew 31 special education， regular education and gifted students throughout the county to their classroom， where they keep students four or even five years. \"We have kids with IQs from 44 to 144， some with physical disabilities，\" Roy says， \"but no labels are used with children.\" Eloped¹ when Karen was 16 and Roy was 20， working low-wage jobs for 12 years before going back to school.Believe their past gives them empathy² and purpose in this insular³ Appalachian coal county with a per capita income of $14，005. Started collaborative⁴ classroom 10 years ago after finding Roy's special education and Karen's multi-age students both benefited from inclusion. Base classroom on John Dewey and Fox-fire philosophies⁵， which say education should re- flect society.Scale down⁶ Mini-Society economics curriculum⁷， in which students devise⁸ currency， get paid for showing up and working， buy and sell wares on Market Days. Sort students into groups for tiered⁹ instruction; have three aides and one sign-language interpreter help with groups in hands-on¹⁰ learning centers. Test students individually to pinpoint¹¹ what they know and how they learn:\"I have a mental IEP (Individual Education Plan) for every child，\" Karen says. Write grants to subsidize annual out-of-state overnight field trip. Send postcards from summer travels to all students to expose them to the outside world. Eat lunch with students. Incorporate sign-language into reading instruction. Their love for all children makes it work. There's such a special aura¹² about them. You see them and they're genuine. It goes much further than academics.

注释：

1．elope vi. 私奔

2．empathy n．同情，同感

3．insular adj. 超然物外的，与世隔绝的

4．collaborative adj.合作的，协作的，协力完成的

5．philosophy n．见解，观点

6．scale down按比例缩减，相应缩减

7．curriculum n．课程

8．devise vt．设计，发明，策划，想出

9．tiered adj. 分层的，成排的

10．hands-on亲自实践的，参与实践活动的

11．pinpoint vt．准确描述，确认，确定

12．aura n.气氛，氛围

卡伦·阿德金和罗伊·阿德金在全县招收31个接受特殊教育、常规教育和有天才的学生，连续学习4至5年。罗伊说：“我们这里的孩子的智商从44到144不等，有些是残疾人，但孩子们没被加任何标记称号。”卡伦16岁时和20岁的罗伊私奔了，在做了12年低薪工作后又回到了学校。他们认为是他们的过去让他们有了同情心和奋斗目标，要在这个人均收入仅为14005美元的阿巴拉契亚山偏远山区产煤县干一番事业。10年前，他们发现罗伊的接受特殊教育的学生和卡伦的不同年龄段的学生们都从混合班学习中获益匪浅，便开始创办联合教室。班级教学是以约翰·杜威和福克斯法尔的教育观念为基础的，他们认为教育应该反映社会。他们微缩出微观社会的经济学课程，让学生自己设计货币，根据表现和工作获得报酬，在“集市日”买卖商品。给学生分组，进行分层教学。有3个助教和一个哑语翻译在实习中心帮工。他们对学生进行单独测试，以准确了解他们掌握了什么知识，是如何学习的。卡伦说：“我为每个孩子设计了智力上的单独教育计划。”他们还资助每年一度的州外野地宿营。夏季去旅游时给所有学生寄明信片，让他们接触外部世界。每天与学生共进午餐，把手势语言与阅读指导结合起来。……