article4

Reading Journal By Siwen Bian 6031006287This journal is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirementsfor English reading and writing 1 course of Liberal Arts in English Program, Mae Fah Luang University First semester 2018

The Difference a Teacher can Make Steve, a twelve-year-old boy with alcoholic parents, was about tobe lost forever, by the U.S. education system. Remarkably, he couldread, yet, in spite of his reading skills, Steve was failing. He had beenfailing 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 yearold, yet, Steve went unnoticed... until Miss White. Miss White was a smiling, young, beautiful redhead, and Steve wasin love! For the first time in his young life, he couldn't take his eyesoff his teacher; yet, still he failed. He never did his homework, and hewas always in trouble with Miss White. His heart would break underher sharp words, and when he was punished for failing to turn in hishomework, he felt just miserable! Still, he did not study. In the middle of the first semester of school, the entire seventhgrade was tested for basic skills. Steve hurried through his tests, andcontinued to dream of other things, as the day wore on. His heart wasnot in school, but in the woods, where he often escaped alone, tryingto shut out the sights, sounds and smells of his alcoholic home. Noone checked on him to see if he was safe. No one knew where he wasgone, because no one was sober enough to care. Oddly, Steve nevermissed 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, asshe began to go over the test results for the seventh grade. \"You all did pretty well,\" she told the class, \"except for one boy, andit breaks my heart to tell you this, but...\" She hesitated, pinning Steveto his seat with a sharp stare, her eyes searching his face. Page 2 of 8

\"...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. Evenas 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. Walkinginto the house, he took one look around. Both parents were passedout, in various stages of undress, and the stench was overpowering!He, quickly, gathered up his camping gear, a jar of peanut butter, aloaf of bread, a bottle of water, and this time...his schoolbooks. Grimfaced and determined, he headed for the woods. The following Monday he arrived at school on time, and he waitedfor Miss White to enter the classroom. She walked in, all sparkle andsmiles! God, she was beautiful! He yearned for her smile to turn onhim. 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. Obviouslypuzzled, she began to look it over. Steve walked back to his desk, hisheart pounding within his chest. As he sat down, he couldn't resistanother look at the lovely woman. Page 3 of 8

Miss White's face was in total shock! She glanced up at Steve, thendown, then up. Suddenly, her face broke into a radiant smile. The smartest boy inthe seventh grade had just passed his first test! From that moment nothing was the same for Steve. Life at homeremained the same, but life still changed. He discovered that not onlycould he learn, but he was good at it! He discovered that he could understand and retain knowledge, andthat he could translate the things he learned into his own life. Stevebegan to excel! And he continued this course throughout his schoollife. After high-school Steve enlisted in the Navy, and he had asuccessful military career. During that time, he met the love of hislife, he raised a family, and he graduated from college Magna CumLaude. During his Naval career, he inspired many young people, whowithout him, might not have believed in themselves. Steve began asecond career after the Navy, and he continues to inspire others, asan adjunct professor in a nearby college. Miss White left a greatlegacy. She saved one boy who has changed many lives. You see, it's simple, really. A change took place within the heart ofone boy, all because of one teacher, who cared.Week 5Title: The Difference a Teacher can Make (840)Author: Eudora WeltySource: http://m.enread.com/?mid=3&aid=105417Summary Page 4 of 8

This article tells the important role a teacher plays in a person’slife. Steve was a boy with alcoholic parents. Nobody cared about himin his life, not even his parents. So he preferred to be in the woodswhere he often escaped alone, trying to shut out the sights, soundsand smells of his alcoholic home. He became a troublesome guy whonever did his homework and always failed in his examinations inschool. But there was something different when Miss White appearedin his life. Miss White was a smiling, beautiful woman who was totallyunattainable and perfect to Steven. Steve liked this teacher verymuch, but at first he didn’t make any change. He still did nohomework and failed in exams again and again. But he nevermissed a day of school. Once he was failed in his exam again, MissWhite shouted to him that she cared about him, trying to makehim “sober”. Steve changed from that day on. He discovered thathe could understand and retain knowledge, and that he couldtranslate the things he learned into his own life. He could not onlylearn, but also do well in it. Later Steven had 2 successful careersand kept encouraging others just like what Miss White did for him.They were both saving others with their kindness. My reaction/reflection: For me this article is easy. There are not too many difficultgrammars and unfamiliar words for me. But it helps to remind me ofmany grammar points I learned from high school. For example, whenwe want to tell somebody’s age, we can use “a number-year-oldnoun”. We can use “to turn in our homework” instead of “to submitit”. And when we use “not only-but also-”, the words following bothof them should be parallel. I would like to be a good teacher in the future. We all know what a“teacher” means to a young child. A teacher may not only teachknowledge but also influence the values of his or her students. Ateacher may change a student only by a few words. I would like to Page 5 of 8

talk about a story that really once happened on me. All my friendsknow that I have a problem in public speaking, and actuallysometimes I cannot speak even in front of a single person. This beganat the beginning of my high school. I was chosen to speak in front ofthe classroom to read a poem once. I felt very nervous and I couldhear my words go out of my mouth trembling. After my presentation,my teacher teased me that even a pupil was better than me insteadof giving me an advice of improvement. I don’t want to complain, butthis really hurt me a lot. What a teacher needs to do is to teachstudents and correct their mistakes. Unfortunately, there are still a lotof teachers who prefer to be a critic rather than a real teacher. Whenteachers become good teachers, students become good students. Ihope that day is not far away.New words learned: (At least five new words that you have learned) New Words Definitions1. Enlist (v.) join the military After high-school Steve enlisted in the Navy.2. Miserable (adj.) very unhappy; full of misery He felt just miserable!3. Oddly (adv.) in a manner differing from the usual or expected Oddly, Steve never missed a day of school.4. Stubborn (adj.) not responding to treatment5. Yearn (v.) Even as the punishments became more severe, he remained stubborn. desire strongly or persistently He yearned for her smile to turn on him. Page 6 of 8

Rubric for Independent Reading Journal (10%)Articles 123 4 51. Summary(4 %)2. Reflection(3%)3. VocabularyLearned (3%) Scores Total scores _______ ÷ 5 = _____ marksCriteria for the above categories1. Rubric for Article SummaryCategory 5-4 3 2 1-0Summarizing Provides a very Provides a clear Provides a clear but Provides a somewhatthe content thorough and clear and concise shallow summary of muddled, unclear and and concise summary of the the article; may be rambling summary of summary of the article context and excessively brief or the article. article context and content. may include some content. extraneous information.Identifying Student recalls Student recalls Student is not able to Student cannot locateDetails several details for details for most locate most of the details with accuracy. each main point. main point. details of the main point. Is characterized by theParaphrasing Is characterized by Is characterized substantial copying of paraphrasing of the by paraphrasing Is characterized by indiscriminately main idea and of the main idea the substantial selected phrases or significant details and significant copying of key sentences. details phrases and minimal paraphrasingSpelling & There are few or no There are some There are serious Serious errors inGrammar errors in usage, errors in usage, errors in usage, mechanics, usage, grammar, grammar, grammar, grammar, or spelling punctuation, punctuation, punctuation, sentence that make the sentence fragments, sentence fragments, or summary difficult to or spelling. fragments, or spelling. understand. spelling.Total ________/20 ÷ 5= 4 %2. Reflection on the Articles (3%) Page 7 of 8

Students who have completely and clearly responded to the guided questions stated in the reading journalform will get 3 marks.3. Vocabulary Learned (3%) ≥ 70% correct = 2 marks 1 ≤ 70% = 1 mark All correct = 3 marks Page 8 of 8