Ofallteacherswhohavetaughtmesincemyearlychildhood,themostunforgettableoneismyfirstEnglishteacherincollege,Ms.Zhang.ItisshewhohasarousedmykeeninterestinthelearningofEnglishandhelpedmerealizetheimportanceofself-reliance.Bornintoapoorfarmer’sfamilyinamountainousareaandeducatedinrelativelyprimitivesurroundings,Ifoundmyselflaggingfarbehindinthefirstclassincollege,whichhappenedtobeMs.Zhang’sEnglishclass.Iwasreallydiscouragedandfrustrated,soIdecidedtodropout.Ms.Zhangwassokeenlyinsightfulthatshehadnoticedmyembarrassmentinclass.Afterclass,shecalledmeintotheTeacher’sRoomanddiscussedthesituationwithme,earnestlyandkindly,citingtheexampleofRobinsonCrusoetomotivatemetogoaheadinspiteofallkindsofdifficulties.“Beamanandrelyonyourself,”shenudgedme.Thenexttimewemet,shebroughtmeasimplifiedversionofRobinsonCrusoeandrecommendedthatIfinishreadingitinaweekandwriteabookreport.Underherconsistentandpatientguidance,notonlyhasmyEnglishbeengreatlyimproved,butmyconfidenceandcourageenhancedconsiderably.
“Relyonyourselfandbeaman,”Ms.Zhang’sinspiringwordshavebeenechoinginmymind.Iwillworkharderandtrymyutmosttolayasolidfoundationformyfuturecareer.OnlybysodoingcanIrepayMs.Zhang’skindnessandliveuptoherexpectationsofme,thatis,tobecomeausefulpersonandcontributetosociety.