Unit 4Fresh StartUseful Information As teachers, we all greet each new school year with feelings of anticipation, excitement, and even a bit of apprehension as we wonder what our new groups of students will be like. Will they be ambitious and interested learners ready to absorb new words and ideas to make them their own, or will we have to prod and push them to learn the new materials to which they are being introduced? Sometimes, in fact often, a class will have a mixture of both kinds of students.In the teaching profession, unlike many other professions, we have the opportunity to make a fresh start each year, indeed each semester. We have the leisure to consider what went right and what went wrong in the previous classes; we can also try slightly different methods of teaching，repeating them in the future if they work and discarding them if they dont. In this respect teachers are fortunate indeed.What about the students? If they are freshmen, they have many apprehensions and many tensions. They are having to make adjustments to dormitory life, no small thing for many of them. They also are now away from a secure base of family and friends and are hoping that they can make new friends with whom they can share their hopes and fears. Probably they are most apprehensive about whether or not they can succeed in college, and they may be quite worried as to whether or not they will be able to succeed in this English class. Actually the English classroom can be a place where students apprehensions are eased. In small group discussions they can be encouraged to talk about themselves, their beliefs, and even their fears. The students in the small groups can be very supportive of one another if they are encouraged to be so. Often, praise from peers can mean more to students than praise from their teachers because they are insecure in their social relationships. Students can also express some of their concerns through writing assignments. Often just writing down something that is bothersome can make an individual feel better. It would be wonderful if we could make the English class a place that students look forward to entering. It is not impossible to have this happen, and we teachers can think about what we can do to make it so.In a sense, each day is a new beginning for both students and teacher, a time when a fresh start can be made. We all have had class sessions that didnt go exactly as we would have liked. The beauty of teaching is that we can think about how we can keep that from happening again. To live and to be active means that we will all make mistakes. We can learn not to be crushed by our mistakes but to learn from them, and it is essential that we help our students to learn this, too. If we can find positive things to say to a student who has had a “bad day,” we can help him to realize that he can make a fresh start during the next class and probably will do better. We teachers already know this, but sometimes it doesnt hurt that we remind ourselves of the fact. If students seek help from us, we can aid them in making their fresh starts, even though sometimes we wonder if we have the time to do so. Then, with their individual successes, we will feel and, indeed, be successful too. Philosophers and poets have also recognized the importance of fresh starts, or beginnings. The 5th century B.C. Greek philosopher Plato stated that “the beginning is the most important part of the work.” John Dryden, the 17th century British poet, reminded his readers of the importance of beginnings both in nature and in art, when he wrote:“By viewing Nature, Natures handmaid Art,Makes mighty things from small beginnings grow.”Part One Preparation1. A Freshmans AlphabetA is for the ASSIGNMENTS that the teachers give us.B is for the BOOKS that I enjoy reading.C is for the CAMPUS where most students live.D is for the DORM that I share with my roommates.E is for the EXAMS that give me headaches.F is for the FRIENDS whom Im glad to stay with.G is for the GRAMMAR that I learn in the English class.H is for the HOBBIES of mine, such as playing tennis.I is for the INFORMATION that I get from the Internet.J is for the JOB that I want to get after I graduate from college.K is for the KNOWLEDGE that we are gaining in school.L is for the LIBRARY where we can borrow books.M is for the MAJOR of mine - business.N is for the NOTES that I take in class.O is for the OK that I say to my mother over the phone.P is for the PROFESSORS who give us lectures.Q is for the QUIZZES that teachers give us now and then.R is for the REPORTS that we write after we have done research.S is for the SCHOLARSHIPS that I hope to win.T is for the TUITION that my parents pay for my education.U is for the UNIVERSITIES that give us the chance for higher education.V is for the VACATIONS that Im looking forward to.W is for the WEEKENDS when I can relax myself.X is for the XMAS C