Until I took Dr. Offutts class, I was an underachieving student, but I left that class determined never to underachieve again. He not only taught me to think, he convinced me, as much by example as words, that it was my moral obligation to do so and to serve others.

　　Neither of us could know how our relationship would evolve over the years. When I first came back to DeMatha to teach English, I worked for Dr. Offutt, the department chair. My discussions with him as he mentored me were like graduate seminars in adolescent development, classroom management and school leadership.

　　After several years, I was named department chair, and our relationship shifted again. I thought that it might be awkward chairing the department, since all of my former English teachers were still there, but Dr. Offutt supported me throughout. He knew when to give me advice about curriculum, texts and personnel, and when to let me chart my own course.

　　In 1997, I needed his advice(好象原文是OPINION) about leaving DeMatha to become principal at another school. If he had asked me to stay at DeMatha, I might have. Instead, he encouraged me to seize the new opportunity.

　　Five years ago, I became the principal of DeMatha. Once again, Dr. Offutt was there for me, letting me know that I could count on him as I tried to fill such big shoes. Ive learned from him that great teachers have an inexhaustible wealth of lessons to teach. Even if his students dont know it yet, I know how fortunate they are; Im still one of them.

　　在上奧法得教授的班級(jí)以前，我一直是個(gè)學(xué)習(xí)成績(jī)不怎么樣的學(xué)生，但是，當(dāng)我離開那個(gè)班級(jí)時(shí)，我決定再也不做一個(gè)差生了。他不僅教會(huì)我們思考，他通過事例和言語(yǔ)使我堅(jiān)信，我有責(zé)任這樣做并為他人服務(wù)。

　　我們兩人誰(shuí)也記不起這些年來我們之間的友誼的發(fā)展過程了。當(dāng)我第一次回到DeMatha高中教英語(yǔ)時(shí)，我是跟著奧法得教授工作的，當(dāng)時(shí)他是系主任。在和他的討論時(shí)，在青少年畢業(yè)研討會(huì)上，在討論教室管理和學(xué)校領(lǐng)導(dǎo)能力等問題時(shí)，他是我良師益友。

　　幾年以后，我被提名為系主任，我們的友誼進(jìn)行了一次換位。因?yàn)槲乙郧暗挠⒄Z(yǔ)老師還都在那里，我想這個(gè)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)可能會(huì)很難當(dāng)。但是，奧法得教授從始至終一直支持我。他總是在適當(dāng)?shù)臅r(shí)候給我關(guān)于課程、課文和人員問題的建議，并總是適時(shí)讓我自己制定自己的規(guī)劃。

　　1997年，關(guān)于是否離開DeMatha高中去任另一所學(xué)校的校長(zhǎng)的事我需要他的建議。如果他要我留在DeMatha高中，我就不走了。然而，他卻鼓勵(lì)我抓住這個(gè)新的機(jī)會(huì)。

　　5 年前，我再次回到DeMatha高中并擔(dān)任校長(zhǎng)。這一次，奧法得教授還在這里等我，他讓我知道我可以信賴他，我可以做得和以前的校長(zhǎng)一樣出色。他讓我感到，一個(gè)好的老師有無(wú)窮無(wú)盡的知識(shí)財(cái)富讓我們?nèi)W(xué)習(xí)。盡管他的學(xué)生們可能還沒有意識(shí)到這點(diǎn)，我知道他們是非常幸運(yùn)的；我現(xiàn)在仍然是受益者之一。

　　Until I took Dr. Offutts class, I was an underachieving student, but I left that class determined never to underachieve again. He not only taught me to think, he convinced me, as much by example as words, that it was my moral obligation to do so and to serve others.

　　Neither of us could know how our relationship would evolve over the years. When I first came back to DeMatha to teach English, I worked for Dr. Offutt, the department chair. My discussions with him as he mentored me were like graduate seminars in adolescent development, classroom management and school leadership.

　　After several years, I was named department chair, and our relationship shifted again. I thought that it might be awkward chairing the department, since all of my former English teachers were still there, but Dr. Offutt supported me throughout. He knew when to give me advice about curriculum, texts and personnel, and when to let me chart my own course.

　　In 1997, I needed his advice(好象原文是OPINION) about leaving DeMatha to become principal at another school. If he had asked me to stay at DeMatha, I might have. Instead, he encouraged me to seize the new opportunity.

　　Five years ago, I became the principal of DeMatha. Once again, Dr. Offutt was there for me, letting me know that I could count on him as I tried to fill such big shoes. Ive learned from him that great teachers have an inexhaustible wealth of lessons to teach. Even if his students dont know it yet, I know how fortunate they are; Im still one of them.

　　在上奧法得教授的班級(jí)以前，我一直是個(gè)學(xué)習(xí)成績(jī)不怎么樣的學(xué)生，但是，當(dāng)我離開那個(gè)班級(jí)時(shí)，我決定再也不做一個(gè)差生了。他不僅教會(huì)我們思考，他通過事例和言語(yǔ)使我堅(jiān)信，我有責(zé)任這樣做并為他人服務(wù)。

　　我們兩人誰(shuí)也記不起這些年來我們之間的友誼的發(fā)展過程了。當(dāng)我第一次回到DeMatha高中教英語(yǔ)時(shí)，我是跟著奧法得教授工作的，當(dāng)時(shí)他是系主任。在和他的討論時(shí)，在青少年畢業(yè)研討會(huì)上，在討論教室管理和學(xué)校領(lǐng)導(dǎo)能力等問題時(shí)，他是我良師益友。

　　幾年以后，我被提名為系主任，我們的友誼進(jìn)行了一次換位。因?yàn)槲乙郧暗挠⒄Z(yǔ)老師還都在那里，我想這個(gè)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)可能會(huì)很難當(dāng)。但是，奧法得教授從始至終一直支持我。他總是在適當(dāng)?shù)臅r(shí)候給我關(guān)于課程、課文和人員問題的建議，并總是適時(shí)讓我自己制定自己的規(guī)劃。

　　1997年，關(guān)于是否離開DeMatha高中去任另一所學(xué)校的校長(zhǎng)的事我需要他的建議。如果他要我留在DeMatha高中，我就不走了。然而，他卻鼓勵(lì)我抓住這個(gè)新的機(jī)會(huì)。

　　5 年前，我再次回到DeMatha高中并擔(dān)任校長(zhǎng)。這一次，奧法得教授還在這里等我，他讓我知道我可以信賴他，我可以做得和以前的校長(zhǎng)一樣出色。他讓我感到，一個(gè)好的老師有無(wú)窮無(wú)盡的知識(shí)財(cái)富讓我們?nèi)W(xué)習(xí)。盡管他的學(xué)生們可能還沒有意識(shí)到這點(diǎn)，我知道他們是非常幸運(yùn)的；我現(xiàn)在仍然是受益者之一。