The Power of Fresh Starts

Thirty years ago，I began my first year of teaching in Grade 2.One of the most _______ students was a little boy who had a serious ADD (多动症). I had no _______ in dealing with such a case, and I _______ the year studying how to help him become a successful _______ . There were many disappointing moments, but there was something _______ about the boy who moved excitedly around my classroom.

_______ the end of the school year came near, I heard a talk. The Grade 3 teachers were _______ of having Stephen the following year. I considered it a lot, and I _______ that I would be the best person to _______ Stephen into Grade 3. My headmaster looked at me in ________ , but he agreed to my plan.

I will never forget that day when Stephen came to ask ________ he was in my class again. I looked him in the eye and said, “Well, Stephen, you’re in my ________ because I asked for you.” The little boy looked surprised. “You did? Why?” he asked. “Because I like you and want to keep ________ with you,” I answered.

Stephen just ________ at me. After a few moments, he ________ and walked back to his seat. We never spoke of it again, but the two of us had many ________ learning breakthroughs (突破) that year. I believe those ________ were more of a result of Stephen’s knowing that I had put his previous year’s mistakes behind him.

Now I come to know that when I ________ for one, I can improve his soul. Each season is a new beginning, a new way of thinking. Many students ________ a new start and are determined to act upon it. We need to pay attention to even the smallest ________ that students are looking for help.

Lisa was a teacher of my two sons. In 2000, she ______ to teach my elder son, Bob, who had difficulty in writing and reading. It took Lisa much patience to ______ Bob. With her special education, Bob ______ in his class and was finally admitted to a Chinese university with excellent grades. I ______ believed it was Lisa’s special teaching style that made Bob finally ______ out. Years later, my complete ______ was confirmed again.

Luckily, my younger son, Mike, also studied in Lisa’s class. Lisa made a bigger ______ on him. “Every student is unique, so ______ teaching is the key,” she said. “Every man has his price.” Because she was aware of her students’ ______, she designed multiple schemes to guide the children.

Mike’s grades had fallen behind other students. It was a challenge for Lisa to teach him whose grades were at the   ______ of the class. Lisa learned Mike had a(n) ______ personality. He liked meeting friends, loved chatting with them and enjoyed their ______. It was because he often stayed with others that he didn’t have enough time to focus on his ______. Lisa not only taught Mike to ______ life and learning but also ______ time — most for study and some for fun. She even invited Mike’s best friend to learn together with him and ______ them after school. Eventually, they significantly raised their scores. However, Lisa reminded me that it wasn’t the scores but the ______ that mattered. She couldn’t be more proud of my son’s stepping ______.

In terms of child education, Lisa is a(n) ______ example to all. Although Mike has graduated, I can’t be more ______. I really want to say to her again, “Thanks.”

After a college football player named Brian Dooley noticed his teammate was juggling many jobs, he made a selfless choice to help him.

“Zack Conti has had to pay his way to school for four years. And in the fall, the guy was selling his blood to _________ the tuition,” Head Coach Chris Creighton told the Eastern Michigan University football team during a meeting on Aug.3.

_________, the team couldn’t give out any more scholarships. But _________ help was still coming Conti’s way. “Until Brian Dooley came into my office,” Creighton said. “And he said, ‘Coach, that guy has _________ it. And I’ve talked this over with my family. I’m willing to _________ my scholarship as a gift to Zack Conti.’”

At that moment, Dooley walked over to Creighton and _________ him an envelope that held his scholarship. The team broke out in _________. Conti was so _________. He said he knew the coach and Dooley were trying to help him, but didn’t know Dooley’s scholarship would be _________ to him during that meeting.

“It feels like all of my hard work is finally being __________,” he said.

Dooley explained his __________ for helping his teammate. “Conti studies hard and gets extra work to __________ his family. Quitting my scholarship so he can stay and play __________ everything for me. I’m __________ of what he has become and cannot wait to see what he does on the __________.”