我有一次讲比例。我数学不是很好，但是我当时在教数学。然后我下了课，翻看了教师用书。我完全教错了。(笑声)

　　So I came back to class the next day, and I said, "Look, guys, I need to apologize. I taught the whole lesson wrong. I'm so sorry."

　　所以我第二天回到班上说， “同学们，我要道歉。我昨天的课都教错了。我非常抱歉。”

　　They said, "That's okay, Ms. Pierson. You were so excited, we just let you go." (Laughter) (Applause)

　　他们说，“没关系，Pierson老师。你当时教得非常投入，我们就让你继续了。” (笑声)(掌声)

　　I have had classes that were so low, so academically deficient that I cried. I wondered, how am I going to take this group in nine months from where they are to where they need to be? And it was difficult. It was awfully hard. How do I raise the self-esteem of a child and his academic achievement at the same time?

　　我曾经教过程度非常低的班级，学术素养差到我都哭了。我当时就想，我怎么能在9个月之内把这些孩子提升到他们必须具备的水平?这真的很难，太艰难了。我怎么能让一个孩子重拾自信的同时他在学术上也有进步?

　　One year I came up with a bright idea. I told all my students, "You were chosen to be in my class because I am the best teacher and you are the best students, they put us all together so we could show everybody else how to do it."

　　有一年我有了一个非常好的主意。我告诉我的学生们， “你们进了我的班级，因为我是最好的老师，而你们是最好的学生，他们把我们放在一起来给其他人做个好榜样。”

　　One of the students said, "Really?" (Laughter)

　　一个学生说，“真的吗?” (笑声)

　　I said, "Really. We have to show the other classes how to do it, so when we walk down the hall, people will notice us, so you can't make noise. You just have to strut." And I gave them a saying to say: "I am somebody. I was somebody when I came. I'll be a better somebody when I leave. I am powerful, and I am strong. I deserve the education that I get here. I have things to do, people to impress, and places to go."

　　我说，“当然是真的。我们要给其他班级做个榜样，当我们走在楼道里，因为大家都会注意到我们，我们不能吵闹。大家要昂首阔步。” 我还给了他们一个口号：“我是个人物。我来的时候是个人物。我毕业的时候会变成一个更好的人物。我很有力，很强大。我值得在这里受教育。我有很多事情要做，我要让人们记住我，我要去很多地方。”