belgareth
11-28-2004, 01:15 PM
Teacher Turns Laundry Into Learning Time
Sat Nov 27, 4:12 AM ET
By LUKAS I. ALPERT, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK - It used
to bug Georgina Smith every time she drove by the Clean Rite Center laundromat in one of Brooklyn's tougher
neighborhoods. She'd look inside and see children — lots of them — sitting around, playing video games or watching
TV.
Not once did Smith ever see one of them with a book.
"I thought there's got to be something better for these kids to
do," Smith said, recalling those drives.
So the science teacher
decided she would get them to read. What she came up with is an innovative program at the laundry fittingly called
"Wash and Learn."
It started out as Smith's master's thesis at
Brooklyn College's School of Education, and picked up speed last spring when she managed to get Clean Rite
officials to donate $12,000 for books, supplies and general expenses.
In the early going, it was Smith reading to the children. Then, they began reading to each other. Before long,
they were asking for help with their homework. Their parents noticed — and cared.
"No matter where you teach, whether it's New York or Des Moines,
Iowa, if you can engage the kids they will respond," Smith said.
And
the kids keep coming. Smith has expanded the program to a second Clean Rite, also in Brooklyn, and persuaded the
college to let other students help out for credit.
"I like to read
with all these people," 7-year-old Brandon Bacchus said during a brief time-out from "Mummies in the Morning."
"It's not like school, it's more fun and you're not doing stuff because the teacher tells you to."
Brandon's mother, Martha Bacchus, said she doesn't mind driving
nearly 10 miles so her son and 9-year-old daughter, Mycah, can read with other children while she does laundry.
"It really lets these kids do something productive and it allows
parents to get their kids the tutoring they might need even if they can't afford it," Bacchus said.
For many of the Brooklyn College students, the program allows them
their first hands-on experience dealing with children.
Amy Dempsey,
a senior, had thought she wanted to work with younger children. But an encounter with at fourth-grade girl at "Wash
and Learn" made her rethink her plans.
"She told me she didn't like
to read, didn't want to read, but then she told me she liked to write poetry and with that connection I talked her
into reading more," Dempsey said. "Now I want to work with kids around that age. It's things like that that really
make you want to do this job," she said.
And for the laundry's
owners, the program is good corporate citizenship.
"You know how busy
our lives are and you always have to do chores," said Clean Rite's John Hayes. "That we can help create an
atmosphere where parents can get that done and their kids can learn something is a perfect fit for us."
Sat Nov 27, 4:12 AM ET
By LUKAS I. ALPERT, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK - It used
to bug Georgina Smith every time she drove by the Clean Rite Center laundromat in one of Brooklyn's tougher
neighborhoods. She'd look inside and see children — lots of them — sitting around, playing video games or watching
TV.
Not once did Smith ever see one of them with a book.
"I thought there's got to be something better for these kids to
do," Smith said, recalling those drives.
So the science teacher
decided she would get them to read. What she came up with is an innovative program at the laundry fittingly called
"Wash and Learn."
It started out as Smith's master's thesis at
Brooklyn College's School of Education, and picked up speed last spring when she managed to get Clean Rite
officials to donate $12,000 for books, supplies and general expenses.
In the early going, it was Smith reading to the children. Then, they began reading to each other. Before long,
they were asking for help with their homework. Their parents noticed — and cared.
"No matter where you teach, whether it's New York or Des Moines,
Iowa, if you can engage the kids they will respond," Smith said.
And
the kids keep coming. Smith has expanded the program to a second Clean Rite, also in Brooklyn, and persuaded the
college to let other students help out for credit.
"I like to read
with all these people," 7-year-old Brandon Bacchus said during a brief time-out from "Mummies in the Morning."
"It's not like school, it's more fun and you're not doing stuff because the teacher tells you to."
Brandon's mother, Martha Bacchus, said she doesn't mind driving
nearly 10 miles so her son and 9-year-old daughter, Mycah, can read with other children while she does laundry.
"It really lets these kids do something productive and it allows
parents to get their kids the tutoring they might need even if they can't afford it," Bacchus said.
For many of the Brooklyn College students, the program allows them
their first hands-on experience dealing with children.
Amy Dempsey,
a senior, had thought she wanted to work with younger children. But an encounter with at fourth-grade girl at "Wash
and Learn" made her rethink her plans.
"She told me she didn't like
to read, didn't want to read, but then she told me she liked to write poetry and with that connection I talked her
into reading more," Dempsey said. "Now I want to work with kids around that age. It's things like that that really
make you want to do this job," she said.
And for the laundry's
owners, the program is good corporate citizenship.
"You know how busy
our lives are and you always have to do chores," said Clean Rite's John Hayes. "That we can help create an
atmosphere where parents can get that done and their kids can learn something is a perfect fit for us."