The Difference a Teacher Can Make

    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， in spite of his reading skills， Steve was failing. He had been failing since first grade， as he was passed on from grade to grade. Steve was a big boy， looking more like a teenager than a twelve year old， yet， 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， still he 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 middle of the first semester of school， the entire seventh grade was tested for basic skills. Steve hurried through his tests， and continued to dream of other things， as the day wore on. 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， because no one was sober enough to care. 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 for the seventh grade.

    “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， her eyes searching his face.

    “……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.

    “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 and perfect， CARED ABOUT HIM？？！！

    Steve went home from school， thoughtful， that afternoon. Walking into the house， he took one look around. Both parents were passed out， in various stages of undress， 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 he arrived at school on time， and he waited for Miss White to enter the classroom. She walked in， all sparkle and smiles！ God， she was beautiful！ He yearned for her smile to turn on him. It did not.

    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. As he sat down， he couldn‘t resist another look at the lovely woman.

    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 high-school 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 Magna Cum Laude. 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.You see， it‘s simple， really. A change took place within the heart of one boy， all because of one teacher， who cared. The Difference a Teacher Can Make

    史蒂夫已經12歲了，他的父母都是酒鬼，他就要徹底脫離自己的學校生活了。然而很明顯，他能夠閱讀，但他總不及格。從一年級開始，一年一年過去了，他依然不及格。史蒂夫長得很健壯，看上去比12歲的孩子要大。但他一直都被人忽略，直到有一天懷特小姐的到來。

    懷特小姐總是笑容可掬，年輕，而且有一頭迷人的紅頭發。她是史蒂夫喜歡的類型。這是他平生第一次，無法把眼睛從老師身上移開，然而，他還是不及格。他沒有做作業，他總是找懷特小姐的碴。每次她說出尖刻的話時，他都感到自己的心已經碎了。每次完不成作業被罰的時候，他都感到非常痛苦。但他依然不學習。

    在第一學期的期中，整個七年級要進行基礎技能測驗。史蒂夫匆匆完成了自己的測驗，并繼續一天天地幻想其他的事情。他的心并不在學校，而在他經常獨自躲藏的樹林，在那里，他試圖擺脫酒鬼之家的聲響和氣味。沒有人關心他到底安不安全。也沒有人知道他已經走了，因為所有的人都興奮地沒有精力顧及其他。不過奇怪地是，史蒂夫從沒有曠過一次課。

    一天，懷特小姐急躁的聲音打破了他的白日夢。

    “史蒂夫！”他感到很吃驚，轉過頭去看著她。

    “注意力要集中！”

    她宣布七年級測驗結果的時候，史蒂夫用那種青春期特有的崇敬盯著懷特小姐。

    她對全班說：“你們都考得很好。除了一個男生。告訴你們這個真讓我感到傷心。但是……”她停頓了一下，眼光轉向史蒂夫的座位，用犀利的目光在他的臉上搜尋著什么。

    “我們七年級最聰明的孩子，我的科目竟然不及格！”

    她盯著史蒂夫，全班同學都轉過頭來看著他。史蒂夫低下頭，盯著自己的指尖。

    然而，在那之后，戰爭依然繼續！史蒂夫依然不想做作業。即使懲罰更加嚴厲，他依然非常頑固。

    “就試一下！一個星期也可以啊！”而他依然無動于衷。

    “你非常聰明！你會有很大的變化！”任何話語都無法打動他。

    “給自己一個機會！不要放棄自己的生活。”依然無動于衷。

    “史蒂夫，求求你。我很關心你！”

    哦！突然，史蒂夫好像明白了！有人關心他？有人竟然不可思議地關心他？

    那天下午，史蒂夫滿懷思緒地回了家。走進屋子之后，他環顧了一下四周。發現父母裸露著身子已經睡了。屋子里的惡臭讓人無法忍受。他迅速找齊自己的露營裝備，一瓶花生醬，一塊面包，一瓶水，而且這次他還帶上了自己的課本。臉上帶著嚴肅和決心，他又去了樹林。

    接下來的周一早上，他準時到了學校，等著懷特小姐走進教室。她神采飛揚地走進來了，臉上帶著微笑。天哪！她真是太漂亮了！他希望她能對他微笑，但是沒有。

    懷特小姐立刻決定對周末的家庭作業進行測驗。史蒂夫很快完成了測驗，并且第一個交上了答卷。懷特小姐滿臉驚奇地收下了他的卷子。很明顯，她是滿懷疑惑的批閱試卷。史蒂夫回到自己的座位，心怦怦直跳。坐下之后，他禁不住再次看了一眼這位美麗的女士。

    懷特小姐的臉上充滿了驚奇。她瞟了一眼史蒂夫，然后又低下頭去，但又再次抬起頭來。突然，她的臉上綻放出了笑容。七年級最聰明的男孩終于第一次通過了測驗。

    從那一刻起，史蒂夫如同換了一個人。雖然家里的生活依舊，但他的生活確實發生了變化。他發現自己不僅能夠學習，而且能夠學得很好！他發現，自己能夠理解并牢牢記住知識，并能將學到的知識運用到自己的生活中。史蒂夫開始變得非常優秀。而且在他的整個學生生涯中，他一直非常優秀。

    高中畢業之后，史蒂夫應征加入了海軍，并且在軍隊中也非常成功。那段時間，他認識了自己生命中的最愛，有了自己的家庭，并從Magna Cum Laude大學畢業。在他的海軍生涯中，他激勵了很多年輕人。如果沒有他，這些人可能無法認識到自己的價值。從海軍退伍之后，史蒂夫開始了第二職業，他在附近的一所大學擔任副教授，并繼續啟迪他人。

    懷特小姐留下了寶貴的財產。她挽救了一個改變許多其他生命的男孩。我了解這些，因為我就是他生命中的最愛。

    看到了嗎？其實就是這么簡單。僅僅由于一個老師的關心，一個男孩的內心發生了巨大的變化。

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