VOA慢速英语--书籍和理发师:理发如何帮助学生阅读

Books and Barbers: How a Haircut Is Helping¹ Students Read

Summer time in the U.S. usually means slower days, and no school.

“Yes it’s summer, my time of year…”

Teachers know, however, that summer vacation means students will likely fall behind, and forget things they learned during the year. Simon Vanderpool, a special education teacher in Lexington, Kentucky, decided² to do something about it.

He started a program called Books and Barbers. Children go to the barber, chose a book and read out loud while the barber cuts their hair. The child gets a sticker and can take the book home.

And there is an added bonus: money. The kids get paid to read. The program is for children ages about 5 to 12. There is no limit to the number of haircuts they can get.

Vanderpool says barber shops are places where kids can feel comfortable.

“Once a student feels comfortable, that’s whenever the brain opens up, and that they are able to start focusing on nothing but learning.”

He says last year, teachers at his school noticed “a huge difference” between kids who were in summer reading programs, and those who were not.

Austin Lopez is seven years old. In the fall he will be in second grade. His mom, Amanda Lopez, brings him to Prince Cuts Barbershop in Lexington. First, Austin says, he chooses a book from the shelf full of colorful ones.

“Well, then I go on a chair to go to the barber, I mean, like get my haircut and then while he’s doing my haircut, I read the book.”

And what does he likes about reading?

“That you get to learn”

This day, he will be reading a book about the popular cartoon “Angry Birds.” The books for the program are donated by fellow teachers, people who heard about the program and the International Book Project.

Austin’s favorite books are encyclopedias⁴. Sometimes he says, he is a little worried about reading out loud.

“Sometimes I get words wrong in those books I like.”

That is where the barber can help. Amir Shalash owns the barber shop. But he is doing more than cutting Austin’s hair. He is listening to him read, and helping him with his reading. Shalash says all the children ask for help, and that opens a chance to connect.

“They reach out to us, and they’re like, 'what’s this word say?' And we’ll help them out, you know. Kind of give them a little insight on it. We engage with the story so it’s like, we’ll listen to what they’re saying, we’ll kind of engage back with them, kind of get them into the book a little bit more.”

Austin’s mom, Amanda Lopez, praises the program:

“They truly encourage reading, which, my son loves to read and, you know, education is truly important, for all of us parents.”

Shalash says the money gives the children a good reason to try reading out loud. The parent is charged $16 for the haircut and the child is given $3 either to spend right away, or to save for something later.

Simon Vanderpool says the money provides an important lesson about saving.

“The overall picture of giving that, is to not only increase their engagement within the program, but to also see the lesson of being able to save money and to invest their money as well.”

Austin Lopez is saving his money to buy a new Lego toy set.

Most of the children getting haircuts at barber shops are boys. Vanderpool’s idea was to do more than just help them with reading and money. The teacher wants to help kids who are growing up in a home without a father-- like he did.

“Also, I created the program in order to provide a positive mentor⁵ for the kids that go into the barber shop, and are able to have someone that they can rely on and they can trust in, and just build a bond between the two of them.”

The organization fatherhood.org reports that at least one in four American children lives without their father in the home.

Austin Lopez’s mom says having a man pay attention and listen to her son is helpful.

“As a single mom, I definitely love how the guys in the barber shop, they actually reach out to our kids and they actually try to be in their lives. That means a lot to me, and I know my son as well.”

Shalash says he and his fellow barbers like being mentors⁶.

“The biggest thing is is that we try to influence as many kids as we can, and that was my whole intention of it.”

?Vanderpool is spreading the program to more barber shops in Lexington and in Ohio. He is also talking with hair salons⁸ to start programs aimed at girls. And, he has started a new nonprofit to bring professional athletes to barber shops to read with children.

In the fall, Vanderpool begins his second year of teaching. This time, he will be working in a high school. He, the barbers, the parents and the children all believe that the students’ reading levels will show that they took the time to read this summer.

And when he starts second grade, Austin Lopez should do well in reading, as well as in his favorite subject — math.

I’m Anne Ball.

Words in This Story

barber – n. a person whose job is to cut boys’ and men's hair

sticker – n. a piece of paper with a picture or writing on it and a sticky substance on its back that is used to attach it to a surface

focus – v. to direct your attention or effort at something specific

shelf – n. a flat board which is attached to a wall, frame, etc., and on which objects can be placed

cartoon – n. a series of drawings that tell a story

encyclopedia³ – n. a reference work (such as a book, series of books, Web site, or CD-ROM) that contains information about many different subjects or a lot of information about a particular subject

encourage – v. to make (someone) more determined⁹, hopeful, or confident

mentor – n. someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person

salon⁷ – n. a business that gives customers beauty treatments (such as haircuts)

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 encyclopedia   

n.百科全书

参考例句：

• The encyclopedia fell to the floor with a thud.那本百科全书砰的一声掉到地上。
• Geoff is a walking encyclopedia.He knows about everything.杰夫是个活百科全书，他什么都懂。

4 encyclopedias   

n.百科全书， （某一学科的）专科全书( encyclopedia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• However, some encyclopedias can be found on the Web. 同时，一些百科全书能也在网络上找到。 来自互联网
• Few people think of encyclopedias as creative enterprises; but they are. 鲜少有人想到百科全书是创意的工作，但它确实是。 来自互联网

5 mentor   

n.指导者，良师益友；v.指导

参考例句：

• He fed on the great ideas of his mentor.他以他导师的伟大思想为支撑。
• He had mentored scores of younger doctors.他指导过许多更年轻的医生。

6 mentors   

n.（无经验之人的）有经验可信赖的顾问( mentor的名词复数 )v.（无经验之人的）有经验可信赖的顾问( mentor的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Beacham and McNamara, my two mentors, had both warned me. 我的两位忠实朋友，比彻姆和麦克纳马拉都曾经警告过我。 来自辞典例句
• These are the kinds of contacts that could evolve into mentors. 这些人是可能会成为你导师。 来自互联网

7 salon   

n.[法]沙龙；客厅；营业性的高级服务室

参考例句：

• Do you go to the hairdresser or beauty salon more than twice a week?你每周去美容院或美容沙龙多过两次吗？
• You can hear a lot of dirt at a salon.你在沙龙上会听到很多流言蜚语。

8 salons   

n.（营业性质的）店( salon的名词复数 )；厅；沙龙（旧时在上流社会女主人家的例行聚会或聚会场所）；（大宅中的）客厅

参考例句：

• He used to attend to his literary salons. 他过去常常去参加他的文学沙龙。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Conspiracy theories about Jewish financiers were the talk of Paris salons. 犹太金融家阴谋论成为巴黎沙龙的话题。 来自互联网

9 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。