圖片來源：攝圖網(wǎng)

今天，Lady Lion 為大家?guī)硪晃辉谥袊ぷ?0余年的外教老師的來信。他有非常豐富的教育經(jīng)歷和人生閱歷：從一個有讀寫困難癥的學(xué)生到紐約城市大學(xué)助理教授，最后到中國從事英語口語教學(xué)。

以下是他的來信：

我有讀寫障礙，在寫作上有很大的困難，有時甚至連自己的書寫都看不懂。但是，在上世紀七八十年代，沒有人真正關(guān)心這個問題。

因為不喜歡學(xué)校，15歲，我就輟學(xué)了；17歲，我參加了一次考試，沒有讀高中就相當(dāng)于高中畢業(yè)了；19歲，我加入美國海軍，服務(wù)了4年。當(dāng)時，我有個女朋友，她是個學(xué)習(xí)很好的學(xué)生，后來成為了一名大學(xué)教授。1983年，我們結(jié)婚了，并有了三個孩子，他們和我一樣，也有讀寫障礙。

在美國西部當(dāng)藍領(lǐng)工人，薪酬是很優(yōu)厚的。離開海軍后，我就開著卡車，靠著給別人修理暖器謀生。我彷佛天生就懂機器，修理器械對我來說就像吃飯睡覺那么簡單。因為我總是讀歷史書，1990年，我的妻子對我說，“你應(yīng)該上大學(xué)，學(xué)校將是一段很好的經(jīng)歷?！庇谑?，我就一邊上學(xué)，一邊忙于全職工作和撫養(yǎng)孩子。那是我一生中最快樂的時光。

上世紀80年代初，我就開始使用電腦。早期的文字處理程序給了我寫作的能力，我的妻子也教我如何在大學(xué)里寫作。本科，我就讀的是紐約州立大學(xué)帝國學(xué)院，主修世界歷史。我參加的這個項目不需要到學(xué)校上課。學(xué)生會和教授一對一見面，討論關(guān)于課程的學(xué)習(xí)計劃，之后，創(chuàng)建一份論文中使用的書單。每門課程要求我們完成大約三份20～25頁的論文。我花了5年才完成本科學(xué)習(xí)。之后，我又在該校拿到了歷史碩士學(xué)位。

我曾想過在紐約當(dāng)一名高中英語老師，并打算在艾德菲大學(xué)修讀教育碩士學(xué)位。但現(xiàn)實沒有如想象那般，我并沒有成為一名高中老師，而是在紐約城市大學(xué)找了份圖書館網(wǎng)絡(luò)管理員的工作，并自學(xué)了計算機。因為我的工作是在學(xué)校的學(xué)術(shù)部門，學(xué)校就讓我做了助理教授，一邊從事圖書館網(wǎng)絡(luò)管理員工作，每個學(xué)期，還給警察們上3節(jié)歷史課。

2005年，我來到中國，在廣東工業(yè)大學(xué)當(dāng)英語口語老師至今。我非常喜歡教書。有學(xué)習(xí)障礙和不喜歡學(xué)校等因素，讓我更加能理解學(xué)生，成為一個更好的老師。中年開始教書以及為人父母的經(jīng)歷，給了我與其他老師不一樣的視角。在中國，我把很多學(xué)生當(dāng)成自己的孩子，希望幫助他們找到最閃光的自己。

任何正式或非正式的教育都能使人發(fā)揮所長。世界上有很多聰明的農(nóng)民或工人，他們只是沒有機會上學(xué)。不管是正式或非正式的教育，我們都應(yīng)該嘗試去豐富充實人類的思想。

I dropped out of school at age 15, I just didn’t like school. I am a dyslectic, but at that time no one really cared about that problem.  All 3 of my of my kids are dyslectic.  I have trouble writing and some times can’t even read my own hand writing.  At age 17 I took a test to saying I passed high school, at age 19 I joined the American Navy for 4 years.  At this time I had a girlfriend who was a very good student; she went on to be become a university professor. We married in 1983 and had 3 kids.  After I got out of the Navy I drove a truck and leaned how to fix machines that makes heat for houses. Being a blue collar worker in the west the pay is very good.  I am mechanically inclined and fixing most machines comes as second nature .   In 1990 my wife said to me I should go to university because I am always reading history and school would be a good experience.  I liked going to school and was very busy with a full time job full and raising 3 kids.  It was one of the happiest times of my life. 

I had computers from the early 1980s and the early word processing programs gave me the ability to write.  My wife taught me how to write on a university level. The university I went to was State University of New York, Empire State College.  I majored in early modern World History. The program I was in had no classes; students would meet with a professor one on one and talk about a plan of study for the class. After the meeting you would create a bibliography of books that you will use in the papers. Each class required about three 20 to 25 page papers.  It took me 5 years to finish my undergraduate degree, after that I got a master degree in history from the same university. I finished in one year.  I had thought about becoming a high school teacher in New York and also got a second masters in Education from Adelphia University in New York.  I never become a high school teacher. I got a job as Network Administrator for a library in the City University of New York.  Being mechanically inclined I taught myself computer networking.  The job in the University was in the academic department of the school so the university made me an Assistant professor. The School I worked in taught policemen, so I ran the library computer network and taught 3 classes of history to policemen each term.

In 2005 I came to China and have worked in GDUT teaching oral English. I enjoy teaching very much, as some one that has learning disabilities and didn’t like school it helps me understand students and be a better teacher. Furthermore, starting teaching in middle age and being a parent gave me a different perspective than  teachers that never had  any children.  In China I see most of my students as my children and try to get them to work to the best of their ability.  

Any formal or informal education brings out the best in people.  There are as many geniuses that are farmers or workers as there are in universities worldwide.  These people just didn’t have a chance for a formal education. People should try to enrich their minds through formal or informal education.    

你對Leo Evans有什么想說的嗎？ 或者你有教育故事或教育觀點與大家分享嗎？歡迎來信：chuying.liang@jmdedu.com 或  lei.peng@jmdedu.com。