BeforeIevenstartedschoolpeoplefeltthatIwasnotgoingtoamounttomuch.AttheageoffourIstartedspeechlessonsbecauseevenIcouldnotspeakwellenoughtobeunderstood.
Firstgradewasastruggle.InotonlyhaddifficultyspeakingbutIwasexpectedtolearntoreadandIjustcouldn'tdoit.Myparentsgrewmoreandmorefrustrated.TheyboughtbooksandofferedgreatrewardsifIcouldreadoneofthemfromstarttofinishtothem.WellwithmyspeechproblemsandnowmyreadingproblemsIdidnotliketodoreadingandsorefusedtodoitwheneverpossible.
Secondgradewasnotmuchbetter.ItwasinthesecondgradethattheteacherdecidedthatIneededspecialeducation.Irememberthedaysoftakingthephysicalexams.HoweverafterallthattheydecidedthatIdidnotqualifyforspecialeducation.
ItwasinthirdgradethatanewschoolwasbuiltclosetowhereIlived.Iremembergoingtherewithmyparentsandhelpingtogettheschoolreadysothatwecouldtransfer(转学).ItwasahappydaythatwestartedschoolatVandalia.Howeverthingsdidnotgetbetterasmyparentexpected.
Itwasnowtimeforfifthgrade.Mrs.Wakefieldwasmyteacherandifevertherewasateacherthatdeservedagoldstaritwasher.Shedidnotmakemefeelupset.Insteadshehelpedmeinsomanywaysandbuiltmyself-confidencesothatIactuallydidbelievethatIcoulddosomethingspecial.AndthatisjustwhatIdid.
Forthepast22yearsIhavebeenafifthgradeteacher.BecauseofMrs.Wakefield'sinfluenceinmylifeIamnowencouragingstudentswhohavehaddifficultiesintheirlivestobelievethattheycanovercomeandbecomesomeone.IhavewonalargenumberofawardsbutIknowthatallofthembelongtoonefifthgradeteacherwhobelievedinmeandchallengedmetobeallthatIcouldbe.
Istillhaveaclasspictureofherwithherfifthgradeclasshangingonthewallofmyofficeencouragingotherteacherstoreachouttotheirstudents.
小题1:Whatdoestheunderlinedphrase“amounttomuch”meaninParagraphl?
