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美国总统奥巴马在全美年度教师颁奖典礼上的讲话2009年4月30日，新上任的美国总统奥巴马在白宫的玫瑰园举行了全美年度教师颁奖典礼，在这个典礼上，新任总统与新任年度教师的两段致词感动了许多人。总统先生说：“我和米歇尔都没有令人羡慕的家庭背景，我们能够来到这里的唯一原因，就是在人生的关键时刻，有像托尼，马伦这样的老师将我们引入了正确的方向”。而托尼老师说在得知自己获奖的消息之后，很多记者都问他一个问题，那就是他心目中的好教师究竟是什么样的？托尼想了三个词汇，激情，专业和毅力。激情是夺目的光芒，无法让人视而不见，专业是技术保障，毅力是个性品质。但除了这些，托尼认为一定还有一些更重要的东西，所以才有了那段著名的颁奖感言：“真正优秀的教师具有一个重要的品质，那就是能够读懂故事，他知道每一个来到自己跟前的孩子，都有一个独一无二的故事。好老师不仅能够读懂故事，还能够把信心和成功写入孩子的故事，他帮助孩子编辑错误，和孩子一起创作更美的故事”。以下是原文:奥巴马总统在文中提到：Youknow,we'vegotalotofteachersheretodayandI'mabigfanofteachersbecauseeverysingledayinclassroomsallacrossAmerica,youaremakingadifference.Youdon'talwaysgettherecognitionthatyoudeserve.Wedon'talwaysvaluetheteachingprofessionlikeweshould.Buteveryonceinawhile,Ithinkpeoplestarttounderstandnotjustintheirownlivesbutinthelivesofthenationhowimportanttheteachingprofessionisandhowwe'vegottodoabetterjobofliftingitup.Inaglobaleconomywherethegreatestjobqualificationisn'twhatyoucandobutwhatyouknow,ourteachersarethekeytoournation'ssuccess;towhetherAmericawillleadtheworldinthediscoveriesandtheinnovationsandeconomicprosperityofthisnewcentury.Andthat'swhyasPresidentI'mcommittedtodoingeverythingIcantosupporttheworkofteachers.That'swhywe'reworkingtocreatebetterstandardsandassessmentsthatteacherscanuseintheirclassroom.That'swhywe'repromotinginnovationinteachingandlearning,makingcriticalinvestmentsinearlychildhoodeducation,andhelpingmoreAmericanswalkthroughthedoorofhighereducation.Andit'swhywe'retakingground-breakingstepstorecruit,prepare,supportandrewardoutstandingteachers--toencourageourbestandbrightestyoungpeopletofollowinthefootstepsoffolksjustlikeyou.Thisisespeciallycriticalrightnow,assomanyteachersfromthebabyboomgenerationarepreparingtoretire--althoughtheyalllookprettyyoungbackhere--(laughter)--we'renotworriedaboutthat.Andrecentevaluationsofstudentperformanceshowthatwhilewe'remakingprogress,westillhavealongwaytogo.Iknowpersonally,Michelleknowsthatwhatteachersdoisnoteasy.Mysister,Maya,isateacher;JillBiden,ateacher.Weknowhowhardteacherswork.AndIknowwhatallofyoudobystayingpastthatlastbell;stayinguplategradingthosepapers;puttingtogetherlessonplans;spendingyourownmoneyonbooksandsupplies;andgoingbeyondthecallofduty.Youdoitbecauseyouknowthat'swhatwillmakeadifference,becauseyoubelievethatthere'snosuchthingasachildthatcan'tlearn;thateverychildhastheirowngifts,andit'suptoustodiscoverthem--andit'suptoustoseeinourchildrenwhattheycan'tyetseeinthemselves.（看来总统还是清楚教师这一职业并给与认可和高度评价的！）Andforyou,thoseteacherswhoareinattendancetodayandforsomanyofyourcolleaguesacrossthiscountry,teachingisnotjustaboutapaycheck--it'sapassionandit'sacalling.下面是托尼老师的部分获奖感言：WhenIwasnamedConnecticutStateTeacheroftheYear,alocalreporterapproachedmeandaskedmewhatmakesagoodteacher.Itoldhimthatpassion,professionalism,andperseverancearethreemaintraitsagoodteachermustdisplayintheclassroom--andtheyare.ButasIdrovehomethatday,thereporter'squestionbegantonagatmebecauseIknewgoodteacherspossesssomeotherspecialqualitythatmakethemabletoconnecttostudents,tomakestudentsfeelimportantandwanted.Iponderedthequestionbecause,althoughhemaynothaverealizedatthetime--thereportergota10-secondsoundbiteandIwashandedaRubik'sCube--thequestiondidnotseemtohaveaneasyanswer,becausegoodteachersuseavarietyofteachingtechniquestohelpchildrenlearnwell.Buttheinvestigatorinmewaslookingforacommonthreadthatlinkedallgoodteachers.AndIfinallycametorealizethattheverybestteachershaveonecommonquality:Theyknowhowtoreadastory.Theyknowthateachandeverychildarrivesattheirclassroomdoorwithauniqueandintriguing,yetincompletestory.Thereallygoodteachersareabletoreadachild'sstory,andrecognizetheremarkableopportunitytohelpauthorthatstory.Thereallygoodteachersknowhowtoscriptconfidenceandsuccessontotheblankpages.Theyknowhowtoeditthemistakes.Andtheywanttohelpwriteahappyending.Reallygoodteachersknowtheyhavetheabilitytomakeachildhappyorsad,tomakeachildfeelconfidentorunsure,tomakeachildfeelwantedordiscarded.Andstudentsknowwhenwecare,whenwecareenoughtoreadtheirstories.（此话很有道理，为人师者应从之！）