我们躺在浴缸里上课(图)

America in my eyes
童眼看美国　专栏

躺在浴缸里上课？你相信自己的眼睛吗？信不信由你，这就是我们的小留学生陈韵正在美国密苏里州Lee小学的亲身经历。

在美国中小学阅读课的课堂上，学生不用端端正正坐在椅子上，却可以躺在桌 子下，靠在垫子上，甚至是卧在浴缸里享受阅读的趣味。有时根据学生的建议，老师甚至可以带学生去公园里上课，空气清新宜人，小松鼠在身旁跳来跳去。也许这 才是教育家们宣扬的“快乐学习吧”。什么时候中国的老师们也能学学呢？

by   Yunzheng Chen

In my last essay, I wrote briefly about a bathtub in the classroom. What really was the use of that bathtub?

“Guys, it is ‘Reading Workshop’ time now. When I call your table, get your things, please!” said Mrs. Toalson. She was holding a cup that had many sticks in it; on every stick was written each student’s name and table number.

What does she mean? Probably books, I thought. Mrs. Toalson picked a stick out of the cup and said: “Okay, Aniqa’s table; Table Two, you may get your things.” Then my four classmates ran for the cushions in the bathtub. Mrs. Toalson kept picking sticks, and calling out different table numbers. On hearing their numbers, students would run to get cushions. Because there were not enough cushions for everyone, the last to be called had to go without. Those students sighed: “Oh！They are the lucky ones.”

Finally, Mrs. Toalson picked another stick; what is she going to do now?

“Kate, you may use the bathtub.” Mrs. Toalson said. Gosh! Use the bathtub? Is Kate going to take a bath, I wondered. Kate is the girl who had pretty blonde hair. She ran happily with her book to the bathtub and lay down in it. As she read, she cuddled a teddy bear. I bet it must be comfortable reading in a bathtub.

Except for lucky Kate, everybody had to read elsewhere. Some were sitting on the seats, some were lying down under the table, and everybody’s reading pose was different.

Just then, my friend Regina found me sitting at my table quietly, not doing anything. She said, “Mary, let me find you a book.” I nodded. Next she led me to a corner of the classroom where the bookshelf was, and picked a picture book for me.

Regina thought that it would be more fun to read outside on the grass. What a great idea! The next day our whole class went to the park across the street from our school. As we read, animals such as squirrels ran around us. It was amazing!