老师改变了你的人生

老师改变了你的人生

作者：陈秀丽 等

来源：《高中生·青春励志》2014年第12期

Steve, a twelve-year-old boy with alcoholic parents, was about to be lost forever, by the U.S. education system. Remarkably, he could read, yet Steve was always failing since first grade. Steve went unnoticed — until Miss White.

Miss White was a smiling, young, beautiful redhead, and Steve was in love! For the first time in his young life, he couldn’t take his eyes off his teacher. Yet he still failed. He never did his homework and he was always in trouble with Miss White. His heart would break under her sharp words, and when he was punished for failing to turn in his homework, he felt just miserable! Still, he did not study.

In the test of the middle of the first semester, Steve hurried through his tests, and continued to dream of other things. His heart was not in school, but in the woods, where he often escaped alone, trying to shut out the sights, sounds and smells of his alcoholic home. No one checked on him to see if he was safe. No one knew he was gone. Oddly, Steve never missed a day of school. One day, Miss White’s impatient voice broke into his daydreams. “Steve!” Startled, he turned to look at her. “Pay attention!”

Steve locked his gaze on Miss White with adolescent adoration, as she began to go over the test results.

“You all did pretty well,” she told the class, “except for one boy, and it breaks my heart to tell you this, but...” She hesitated, pinning Steve to his seat with a sharp stare. “The smartest boy in the seventh grade is failing my class!”

She just stared at Steve, as the class spun around for a good look. Steve dropped his eyes and carefully examined his fingertips.

After that, it was war! Steve still wouldn’t do his homework. Even as the punishments became more severe, he remained stubborn.

“Just try it! One week!” He was unmoved.

“You’re smart enough! You’ll see a change!” Nothing fazed him.

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“Give yourself a chance! Don’t give up on your life!” Nothing. “Steve! Please! I care about you!”

Wow! Suddenly, Steve got it! Someone cared about him? Someone, totally unattainable, cared about him?

Steve went home from school, thoughtful, that afternoon. Walking into the house, he looked around. Both parents were passed out, and the stench was overpowering! He, quickly, gathered up his camping gear, a jar of peanut butter, a loaf of bread, a bottle of water, and this time — his schoolbooks. Grim faced and determined, he headed for the woods.

The following Monday, Miss White, immediately, gave a quiz on the weekend homework. Steve hurried through the test, and was the first to hand in his paper. With a look of surprise, Miss White took his paper. Obviously puzzled, she began to look it over. Steve walked back to his desk, his heart pounding within his chest.

Miss White’s face was in total shock! She glanced up at Steve, then down, then up. Suddenly, her face broke into a radiant smile. The smartest boy in the seventh grade had just passed his first test! From that moment nothing was the same for Steve. Life at home remained the same, but life still changed. He discovered that not only could he learn, but he was good at it! He discovered that he could understand and retain knowledge, and that he could translate the things he learned into his own life. Steve began to excel! And he continued this course throughout his school life.

After highschool, Steve enlisted in the Navy, and he had a successful military career. During that time, he met the love of his life, he raised a family, and he graduated from college with high academic distinction. During his Naval career, he inspired many young people, who without him, might not have believed in themselves. Steve began a second career after the Navy, and he continues to inspire others, as an adjunct professor in a nearby college.

Miss White left a great legacy. She saved one boy who has changed many lives. I know, because I am the love of his life.