This is the VOA Special English Education Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语教育报道。
A group called Story Pirates goes into schools and performs shows for children. But these shows are based on stories written by the children themselves. The grown-ups are there to help them become better writers.
一家名为Story Pirates的组织走进校园为儿童表演节目，但这些节目都是基于儿童自己编写的故事。而这些成年人在中间帮助儿童们成为更好的作家。
The Story Pirates are active in more than two hundred schools across the United States. Their method is designed to help children learn about the purpose and structure of writing.
Story Pirates组织活跃于美国各地二百多个学校。他们的办法旨在帮助孩子们了解写作的目的和结构。
Actors and teachers known as teacher-artists help students write stories. The children feel the pride of ownership in their work and may get to see their story performed.
被称为艺术家教师的演员们和教师们帮助学生们编写故事。这些孩子为自己的作品感到骄傲，还有可能看到自己的故事被演出。
About two hundred actors and teachers are members of the Story Pirates. It was founded in two thousand three. The group is based in Los Angeles and also has performers on the East Coast.
大约有两百名演员和教师是Story Pirates组织成员。该组织成立于2003年，总部设在洛杉矶，他们在美国东海岸也进行过表演。
The basic program is called the Idea Storm. It involves two visits to a school.
该组织的基本项目被称为思想风暴，它包括对学校进行两次访问。
On the first visit, the teachers and actors hold a writing workshop at a student assembly. They help students express their ideas. Benjamin Salka, the group's chief executive officer, says they work with children to "open up" their imaginations. But that is only part of the process.
在第一次访问中，教师和演员在学生大会上举行一次写作研讨会。他们帮助学生们表达自己的想法。该组织首席执行官本杰明·索尔卡（Benjamin Salka）表示，他们和学生们一起工作来开拓他们的想象力。但这只是整个过程的一部分。
BENJAMIN SALKA: "We work with them on the actual craft and structure of writing. In other words, Story Pirates is not just a creativity and self-esteem-building program. It is a writing program. And we focus on elements of structure and style as broad as conflict and creative conflict resolution, and as minute as grammar."
索尔卡：“我们和孩子们在写作的实际技巧和结构上合作。换句话说，Story Pirates不仅仅是一个创意和建立自尊的项目。它还是一个写作项目。我们聚焦于和冲突以及冲突解决创意一样广泛，和语法一样细致的结构和风格元素。”
He says they work with students to rewrite and shape their story to improve it. The goal is a final product that can express the ideas that were in the writer's head. All the children get comments and suggestions on their work.
他说，他们和学生们一起合作改写他们的故事并使其具体化，从而改善这些故事。其目标最终是让他们能够表达自己头脑中的思想。所有的孩子都将在自己的作品上得到批评和建议。
After about a month, the Story Pirates return to the school. This time, they perform the stories that they have chosen and prepared for the stage. They sing, dance, tell jokes, use puppets -- whatever they can do to make the experience fun.
大约一个月后，Story Pirates组织会再次回到学校。这一次，他们表演经过选择并为舞台加工过的故事。他们唱歌、跳舞、讲笑话、操纵木偶，尽其所能使得这次经历变得有趣。
A more extensive program can be found at the Bronx Charter School for the Arts in New York City. Ann Ledo is arts director for the school, where most of the students are black or Latino and many come from poor families. Ms. Ledo says the work of the actors is an important part of the children’s education.
纽约市布朗克斯艺术特许学校有一个更广泛的项目。安·莉多是该学校艺术总监。学校中大部分学生是黑人或拉美裔，其中许多学生来自贫困家庭。莉多女士表示，演员们的工作是孩子们教育的重要组成部分。
ANN LEDO:"As a school that has a focus on the arts, we bring the Story Pirates in to further our students' experience and understanding of academic content."
莉多：“作为一所侧重于艺术的学校，我们请来了Story Pirates来增进学生们对学术内容的经验和理解。
Some educators may think of the importance currently placed on testing in schools, and wonder how they can measure the effects of a program like this. But Ann Ledo praises the results.
一些教育工作者可能把学校当前的重点放在考试上，不知道如何衡量这类项目的影响。但莉多对结果提出了赞扬。
ANN LEDO: "It really is a magical moment when the kids see their stories come to life."
莉多：“当孩子们看到自己的故事变成现实时，这真是一个神奇的时刻。”