這是一位與眾不同的小學老師，他讓班里的同學自己選擇和好朋友坐在一起互相幫助；他以平等的姿態(tài)向孩子們表述自己的觀點，對于遇到困難的同學，他不斷地鼓勵。是他讓作者克服了羞怯，認識了自己，給了作者終身難忘的教誨。

His name was Ray Rinehart， but naturally we--hisfifth-graders--calledhim \"Mr. Rinehart.\" I was a timid1 ten-year-old on the first day of class， and the teacher' s bullfrog（牛蛙）rumble （隆隆聲） made me tremble （顫抖） in my tennis shoes.A man teacher was a new idea to me，and one I didn't like.

One morning， he said， \"Pick your best friend in this class and push your desk right next to his.\" Huh2? We stared at each other.

A girl raised her hand. \"Are yon telling us to put our desks beside our best friend's desk?\" \"I am. This way，you can help each other.\"

The room buzzed3. Other teachers separated buddies(好朋友). Obviously， this guy didn't have a clue4.

When I complained of my new teacher with his weird (奇怪的) notions， my mother said， comfortingly，\"Terry，he's just a man. Just a person，like everyone else.\" As it turned out5， she was wrong.In my life， he turned out to be a person unlike anyone else.

The very next day， as I fidgeted(煩躁) over my page of mimeographed(蠟紙油印的) math problems， Mr. Rinehart stopped at my desk.\"Trouble?\" I nodded speechlessly.

\"Have you asked your seat-mate for help?\" Before I could shake my head， he suggested gently， \"Why don't you?\"

My friend took one look at my paper and said， \"How can you work--or even think--in such a mess?\" She scrubbed (擦掉)her eraser across my smeary (弄臟的) scribbles6 and half-erasures.\"There!\" she said.\"Start with a clean page. It'll make a huge difference!\" It did--and it never would have occurred to7 me without my friend's advice. Huh， I thought. Well， what doyou know?

Mr. Rinehart on yard duty was different from any other teacher. He didn't have the invisible (看不見的)\"I am a grown-up\"chalk line drawn around him. We were able to talk with him as if he were our age--no holds barred(上了閂的). In his turn， he spoke with us as if we were adults，listening to our opinions with interest and offering his with no strings (附帶條件) attached.

That's the year I was terrified of nuclear war. Frequent bomb drills found us huddling(蜷縮) be- neath our school desks. Family friends built an underground bomb shelter.In my house， we had a cardboard box of supplies stashed (存放，儲藏) in the hall closet \"just in case８.\" My friends and I spent quite a bit of time discussing\"when we're bombed.\" Where would we be? What would we do?

On the playground one day when Mr. Rinehart wandered up and down， I asked what he thought. He， never hesitating to share big ideas， said， \"Since life is uncertain， we should celebrate every moment of it.\" He looked around the blacktopped (鋪瀝青的) playground at the kids playing foursquare and jumping rope and leaping for the tetherball9 and added， almost to himself， \"Be sure to do what you most love.\"It was obvious to me that he was taking his own advice.

I brought to fifth grade a passionate１０ hatred of physical education class.I couldn't organize my too-long legs into a run， couldn't catch， hit or throw a ball.Throughout the years，I had participated in PE only because I was forced to.

Sycamore School's dark gray basement (地下室) held the cafeteria (自助食堂)and a large room for gymnastics on rainy days.That basement room was where Mr. Rinehart held his PE classes， which were lessons in dancing.PE was PE， I figured11， my palms wet at the thought of new forms of torture (折磨，痛苦). \"Courage，\"Mr.Rinehart whispered to me the first day.

We waltzed (跳華爾茲舞) and learned to polka(跳波爾卡舞)， but mostly we square-danced(跳方形舞). Our teacher managed to call， handle the record player， dance and instruct simultaneously(同時進行地). I was amazed to discover everyone--even the most graceful runner，the most gifted ball-player--was stumbling (絆腳，蹣跚而行) as much or more than I was. Dancing came relatively easily to me.Winter found us strutting ( 跳花式慢步舞)to \"Jingle Bell Rock，\" the music and shuffling(跳曳步舞) of tennis shoes and steamy (熱而潮濕的) smell of spaghetti (意大利式細面條) from the kitchen an antidote12 for the black， frigid（寒冷的，凜冽的)wind pressing at the basement half-windows.

When I had Mr. Rinehart for a partner， he counted softly in my ear. At the end of the dance， he'd whisper， \"You're a good dancer. Don't forget it.\" It was so much fun， I forgot it was supposed to be PE.

For a social studies project，we were to pair off13 and give a report to the class. \"Be creative，\" Mr. Rinehart urged us. \"Make it fun.\"

My friend and I， two bashful(忸怩的，羞怯的)and bookishintroverts (性格內向的人)， chose San Francisco as our topic. We sang and danced to atunefromFlower Drum Song. It started， \"Grant Avenue， San Francisco， California， USA!\" We practiced every recess(暫停，休息)， everylunch hour and after school for weeks--until it was second nature14. But， in spite of my familiarity with our routine， stage fright clamped(牢牢控制) my throat the morning of our performance. I fixed my eyes on Mr. Rinehart， who grinned(咧嘴而笑) and nodded from the back of the room，seeming not to notice my voice， high and thin with terror.

\"Bravo(好啊)!\" he shouted， clapping thunderously，when we made our final bows.No doubt his applause was for victory over selfconsciousness (忸怩，害羞) more than the caliber (水準，質量)of our talent，but no Broadway15 star showered with roses could have felt prouder than I did at that moment.

\"Were you surprised?\" we asked Mr. Rinehart after class that day.

\"Not in the least16.\" He shook his head. \"You were courageous--as I expected you to be.\"

\"I wasn't brave，\" I confessed. \"I wanted to cry or throw up or run out of the room.\"

\"Yes，but you did it anyway--that's called bravery.It's not about how you feel;it's about how you act.\"

Wow. His words arrowed into me， striking a rare bull's-eye17 of total understanding.It was one of my life' s most tremendous(非常的，驚人的) \"Aha18!\" moments.

When Mom asked over meat loaf(用肉糜爛做成的糕) that evening， \"What did you learn in school to- day?\" I doubt I replied，\"The very nature of courage.\"

But I do know I left Mr.Rinehart's classroom equipped with knowledge no quiz could test: truths about cooperation and joy， respect and bravery. Truths about my own uniqueness that have lasted my lifetime.

他的名字叫雷·萊因哈特，而我們是他五年級的學生，很自然地稱他為“萊因哈特先生”。上課第一天，10歲的我害羞靦腆，而老師那牛蛙一樣低沉的嗓音讓我那穿著網(wǎng)球鞋的腳直發(fā)顫。男老師對我來說是件新奇事，而我對這個人并無好感。

一天早晨，他說：“挑出你班上最好的朋友，把你的課桌推到他的旁邊?！卑?我們面面相覷。

一位女同學舉手問：“你是告訴我們把課桌推到我們最好朋友的課桌旁邊?”“是的。這樣，你們可以互相幫助?！?/p>

教室里嘰嘰喳喳嚷開了。別的老師千方百汁把要好的朋友拆散。明擺著，這家伙不知道怎樣處理這種問題。

聽到我抱怨新老師的古怪念頭，媽媽安慰地說：“特里，他只是一個男子。只是一個人，和其他人沒什么兩樣?！苯Y果證明，她錯了。在我的一生中，他的確是一個與眾不同的人。

緊接著第二天，當我正為油印紙上的數(shù)學題煩躁不安時，萊因哈特先生在我課桌旁停下來問：“碰到麻煩啦？”我點了點頭不吭聲。

“你請同桌幫忙了嗎?”在我搖頭之前，他和善地建議：“為什么不試試呢?”

我的朋友看了一眼我的答題紙說：“你怎么能在這樣一團糟的地方做題——或者甚至是思考呢?”她用橡皮擦掉了我半涂半改的潦草字跡?！昂昧?”她說：“在干凈的紙上開始。那會大不一樣!”確實如此——如果沒有朋友的建議我從來都不曾意識到這點。呵，我思忖著：你怎么會知道?

萊因哈特先生值班做校園督察時和其他老師不一樣。他沒有在他和學生之間劃一條無形的“我是大人”的粉筆界線。我們可以和他談話，仿佛他和我們同齡——沒有清規(guī)戒律的約束。輪到他時，他和我們交談仿佛我們是成年人，饒有興致地傾聽我們的觀點并提供無附帶條件的建議。

那是我對核戰(zhàn)爭萬分恐懼的年頭。家常便飯一樣的防轟炸演習常讓我們在課桌下龜縮成一團。親友們造了個地下防空洞。在我的房子里，我們有一個裝滿供給品的紙板箱存放在大廳的壁櫥里“以備萬一”。朋友和我經(jīng)?；〞r間討論“什么時候我們被炸”。我們會在哪里?我們會做些什么?

一天，萊因哈特先生在操場散步，我問他有何想法。他是從不吝于分享高見的，他說：“既然生命莫測無常，我們應該盡情享受每一刻?！彼h(huán)視柏油鋪的操場，孩子們玩四方游戲、跳繩和玩繩球，近乎自言自語地補充說：“一定要做你最喜歡的事?！蔽腋杏X顯然他自己也接受這個看法。

我把對體育課強烈的厭惡之情帶到了五年級。我跑起來兩條長腿不協(xié)調，接球、擊球、扔球也不行。幾年來，我上體育課只是出于被迫無奈。

錫卡莫爾學?；野档牡叵率矣凶灾蛷d和一間下雨天用來上體操課的大屋子。萊因哈特先生就在那間地下室上體育課，內容是學習舞蹈。我心想：體育課就是體育課。一想到折磨人的新花樣我的手心就冒汗。上課第一天，萊因哈特先生在我耳邊低聲說：“鼓起勇氣。”

我們跳華爾茲，學波爾卡舞，但我們主要是跳方形舞。我們的老師設法喊拍子、操作電唱機，同時還要邊跳邊教。我驚訝地發(fā)現(xiàn)，每個人——甚至是最優(yōu)雅的跑步健將，最有天分的球場高手——磕絆踉蹌的次數(shù)并不比我少。對我來說，舞蹈相對還算容易。那個冬天，我們穿著網(wǎng)球鞋在“鈴兒響叮當”的音樂聲中跳著花式慢步舞，廚房里還飄來熱騰騰的意大利面條香味，這一切驅走了從地下室那些只有半扇的窗戶中刮入的陰郁寒風。

當萊因哈特先生做我的舞伴時，他在我耳邊輕輕數(shù)拍子。一曲下來，他會低聲說：“你是跳舞的料，別忘了?！边@太有趣了，我都忘了這本來是體育課。

在一項社會調查活動中，我們分成一對對的小組向全班匯報?！皝睃c創(chuàng)意，”萊哈特先生鼓勵我們，“讓匯報有趣些?！?/p>

我的朋友和我都是害羞內向的書呆子，選擇了舊金山作為我們的主題。我們跟著“花鼓曲”的調子又唱又跳。它是這樣開始的：“美國加利福尼亞州，舊金山市格蘭特大街!”連續(xù)幾周我們利用每一段休息時間、每一次午餐時間和放學后的時間練習，直到這些成為我們生活中自然而然的習慣。但盡管我對我們的套路早已滾瓜爛熟，表演的當天上午，我的喉嚨還是因怯場變了聲。我雙眼盯住萊因哈特先生，他正在教室的后面笑著點頭，好像沒注意到我因害怕變得又高又尖的聲音。

“棒極了!”我們謝幕的時候，他大聲喝彩并報以雷鳴般的掌聲。毫無疑問，他的喝彩不僅是因為我們的才藝，更多地是對我們戰(zhàn)勝害羞忸怩的鼓勵，但那一刻，即使是花團錦簇的百老匯明星也并不見得比我更自豪。

“讓您感到意外了嗎？”那天下課后我們問萊因哈特先生。

“一點也沒有，”他搖頭說，“你們真勇敢——就像我期望的那樣。”

“我并不勇敢，”我承認說，“我直想哭出來，或者嘔吐，或者逃離教室?！?/p>

“是的，但你畢竟演完了——這就是勇敢。它不在于你的感受而在于你的行動。”

哇。他一語中的完全說到我心坎里去了。那是我人生中最精彩的時刻之一。

那天晚飯我們吃肉糕，媽媽問道：“今天你在學校學了些什么?”我好像是這樣回答的：“勇氣的本質?！?/p>

但我深知，我從萊因哈特先生的課堂里學到了任何考試都無法檢驗的東西：合作與歡樂、尊重與勇氣的真諦。還了解到了自己身上那陪伴終身的特質。

注釋：

1．timida. 膽怯的，羞怯的

2．huhint.[表示驚異，輕蔑或疑問等]嘿！??！

3．buzzvi. 充滿低沉嘈雜的(談話、活動)聲音

4．clue n．(有助于解決疑案、問題等的)線索，提示

5. turn out原來是，(最后)證明是

6．scribblen．潦草的字跡，涂鴉

7．occur to被想起，被想到

8．just in case以防萬一

9．tetherball n．[美]繩球，繩球游戲是將球用繩自柱頂懸下，由兩人從相對方向用球拍或手擊球使球繞柱旋轉，先使繩盡者為勝

10．passionatea．感情強烈的

11．figurevt.[美口]認為，以為

12．a(chǎn)ntidoten.對抗手段

13．pair off 組成一對一對

14．second nature第二天性，習性

15．Broadway n. 百老匯大街

16．not in the least 一點咆不，絲毫不

17．bull's-eye n.擊中要害的話(或行動)

18．a(chǎn)haint 啊哈(表示得意、愉快、驚訝等)