CNN 2010-03-22

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, I'm at the Cornerstone Schools here in Detroit. There are actually three of these institutions within Detroit, one independent -- this one -- and then there are two that are part of the public school system.

But at all of these schools the students are excelling. Virtually all of them go on to graduate high school. They test well above the grade average. But they don't teach to test here. They actually have a very holistic¹ approach to teaching -- ethics², morals, very, very important, music and the arts.

In fact, beginning in kindergarten these kids begin learning Chinese. Can you believe that? Now compare the situation here with what's going on at the Detroit public schools. Only 58 percent of the students graduate high school.

So Detroit today is announcing a big plan, shutting down more than 40 of its schools. It's all part of a program to revitalize Detroit schools.

What they want to do is within five years boost their graduation rates. Right now only 58 percent, as we said, are graduating high school. They want to get that up to 98 percent. Very ambitious.

They also want the students to test at the national average within five years. They're a long way from that. What they are going to do is recruit top principals, recruit top teachers, but there's also another key component³, something that is done here that's a key part of the success here at Cornerstone.

CLARK DURANT, FOUNDER⁴, CORNERSTONE SCHOOL: We say that you have a responsibility, too, not just the student. We expect you to be at parent/teacher meetings. We expect you to see that a child's homework gets done.

CHERNOFF: The parents have to play a key role. Educators say that is so, so important, and it is a major problem at some failing schools. Not just parents but also over here they recruit people from the community, mentors⁵, professionals in the community, who come to also meet with the children and encourage them and tell them exactly what they can become once they get out of school.

 

1 holistic   

adj.从整体着眼的，全面的

参考例句：

• There is a fundamental ambiguity in the use of word "whole" in recent holistic literature.在近代的整体主义著作中，“整体”这个词的用法极其含混。
• In so far as historicism is technological,its approach is not piecemeal,but "holistic".仅就历史决定论是一种技术而论，它的方法不是渐进的，而是“整体主义的”。

2 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

3 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

4 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

5 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