[00:-2.00]and accomplishment-a recipe for a successful school life.
[00:-3.00]He that knows nothing,doubts nothing.
[00:-4.00]SECTION 1 NEW WORDS AND IDEAS
[00:-5.00]News Article Teacher C.Robert Smith Wins National Teacher Award
[00:-6.00]NATIONAL NEWS
[00:-7.00]What does it take to win the hearts and minds
[00:-8.00]of Grade 10 students in today's world of education?
[00:-9.00]Ask Jenny Fitchette,Grade 10 student at Lester Pearson High School,
[00:10.00]and you get an enthusiastic response,"A good teacher is the number one ingredient.
[00:11.00]No matter how fancy the school is,
[00:12.00]or how many computers there are,without a good teacher,
[00:13.00]learning is difficult and not at all interesting."Jenny should know.
[00:14.00]She is at the head of her class,
[00:15.00]a class for gifted students runing on a"four subjects per semester"format.
[00:16.00]It's not so much the subjects that keep her coming to school each day,
[00:17.00]eager and ready to work and to learn.
[00:18.00]Look at her timetable and you find that she takes the ordinary subjects of mathematics,
[00:19.00]English,biology and art this semester.
[00:20.00]No,it's her biology teacher,Mr.Smith who keeps her coming back.
[00:21.00]Although the classes are long,and the material difficult,
[00:22.00]Jenny still found time to submit a 1000-word essay
[00:23.00]in which she nominated her teacher,
[00:24.00]Mr.Bob Smith,for the Teacher of the Year Award.
[00:25.00]This award is given annually to a teacher who shows excellence in teaching.
[00:26.00]Only students may nominate someone for the award.
[00:27.00]If the nominating essay is good,the committee visits the school,
[00:28.00]and spends a day watching the teacher in action.
[00:29.00]"I can't really put my finger on why Mr.Smith is such a good teacher,"says Jenny,
[00:30.00]sitting in the bright and open classroom
[00:31.00]that she shares with 20 other gifted learners.
[00:32.00]"I know that the classroom itself is nice place to be in.
[00:33.00]I mean,the tropical fish really help us in our biology studies.
[00:34.00]We can actually watch fish growing and study them right there in the classroom.
[00:35.00]Same thing with the small garden we keep in the summer.
[00:36.00]It's hands-on.Mr.Smith always tells us that we learn best
[00:37.00]when we get in there and work with things."
[00:38.00]Teacher,Bob Smith says he was surprised
[00:39.00]and honoured when he heard that Jenny had nominated him for the award.
[00:40.00]"It's really the students who should be getting the award,"he says.
[00:41.00]"It's my job to bing meaningful and interesting things for them to study,
[00:42.00]and then to 'get out of the way' so to speak.
[00:43.00]It's the students who are showing excellence,not me."
[00:44.00]When asked to explain what it is that he does to make his students
[00:45.00]so enthusiastic about school,
[00:46.00]he pauses and thinks deeply."I think it comes down to respect.
[00:47.00]The kids know that I respect them and that I see my job as serving them in a way.
[00:48.00]I work for them to help them open up their minds
[00:49.00]and to discover things that matter to them."
[00:50.00]Jenny says that you never know what to expect from day to in her biology class.
[00:51.00]One day,Mr.Smith might bring his electric guitar,and for the entire class,
[00:52.00]explain and demonstrate the effects of music on plant growth.
[00:53.00]He never allows anyone any time to be lazy.
[00:54.00]"It's the variety for sure,that's part of it,"explains Jenny.
[00:55.00]"But mostly it's because we know that Mr.Smith truly cares about us
[00:56.00]and about teaching us.You just feel it.
[00:57.00]He tells us every day that we are the most school life."
[00:58.00]"And you know what?I know he means it."
[00:59.00]POEM
[-1:00.00]A High School Poem
[-1:-1.00]A high school education
[-1:-2.00]Provides a unique situation
[-1:-3.00]It values much more
[-1:-4.00]Than a student's test score
[-1:-5.00]To those attending high school
[-1:-6.00]Do grow
[-1:-7.00]Be yourself
[-1:-8.00]And stand tall.
[-1:-9.00]The ultimate test
[-1:10.00]Is to be your BEST!
[-1:11.00]SECTION 2 MEANING THROUGH PRACTICE
[-1:12.00]C.Build your listening skills
[-1:13.00]part 1:Listen to the audiotape of Jenny talking to her friend Mike
[-1:14.00]in the hallway at school,and answer the questions.
[-1:15.00]Part 2:
[-1:16.00]You are a student at Jenny's high school.
[-1:17.00]You play on the school's basketball team.
[-1:18.00]You are a member fo the dramaclub,and you are also interested in joining a new club calld"Let's Get Technical
