奥巴马教师节演讲：这才是教育的真正目的！中英互译

Thankyou.Well,welcometotheWhiteHouse.(Applause.)Andthankyou,Jahana,forthatwonderfulintroduction.EverybodypleasegivetheNationalTeacheroftheYearabigroundofapplause.(Applause.)It’salittlesurprisingthatshegotthisawardbecauseyoucantellshe’salittleshy--(laughter)--andlacksenthusiasm.(Laughter.)Andyetsomehowsheseemstobeperformingprettywellintheclassroom.(Laughter.)Lookatthatsmile.

Soforsevenyears,I’vestoodintheWhiteHousewithAmerica’sfinestpublicservantsandprivate-sectorinnovatorsandourbestadvocatesandourbestathletesandourbestartists,andIhavetotellyoutherearefewmomentsthatmakemeprouderthanthiseventwhenIstandalongsideournation’sbesteducators.(Applause.)

Everyyearonthisday,wesaypubliclyasacountrywhatweshouldbeeagertosayeverydayoftheyear,andthatis:Thankyou.That’swhatthiseventisabout.That'swhyit’soneofmyfavorites.It’sagooddaywithallofyouguyshereinWashingtontosaythankyoufortheextraordinaryworkthatteachersdoallacrossthecountry.It’salso,Iguess,aprettygooddayforsubstituteteachersbecausewegotalotoffolks--(laughter)--wegotalotoffolksplayinghookytoday.(Laughter.)Thisisaschoolday.(Laughter.)

MS.HAYES:It’salearningopportunity.(Laughter.)

THEPRESIDENT:It’safieldtrip.

Now,amongourcountry’sbesteducatorshappenstobeourSecretaryofEducation,Dr.JohnKing,Jr.(Applause.)Johnissomeonewho,likeJahana,foundrefugeinschoolasayoungster.Andhefoundrolemodelsintheclassroomatatimewhenheneededthemmost.Andthatexperienceinstilledinhimtheempathythatmakeshimsuchapowerfulvoiceforstudentsandforteachersandforprincipalsandsuperintendentsandeducatorsallacrossthecountry.

IalsowanttoacknowledgeJahana’ssenatorfromConnecticut,ChrisMurphy.He’saroundheresomewhere.Thereheis.(Applause.)He’sproudofyou,too.

IwanttowelcomeherfellowTeachersoftheYearfromall50states,D.C.,andourterritories.(Applause.)Andwewanttowelcomethehundredsofdistinguishededucatorsfromallacrossthecountrythatjoinedusthisafternoon.Sothankyou.(Applause.)

IfiguredthisisthelasttimeIwasgoingtodothis,soIwantedtoinviteasmanyofyouaspossible--(applause)--becauseyouarepeoplewhoareinspiringateverygradelevel,whoareopeningmindstomathandmusic;tobasicliteracybutclassicliterature;tosocialstudiesandscience,Spanish,andspecialeducation.(Applause.)

Intheirdailylives,themenandwomenwhoteachourchildrenfulfillthepromiseofanationthat'salwayslookingforward,thatbelieveseachgenerationhasaresponsibilitytohelpthenextinbuildingthisgreatcountryofoursandmakingtheworldabetterplace.

PresidentKennedysaid,“Ourprogressasanationcanbenoswifterthanourprogressineducation.”Now,theschoolwhereJahanateacheshappenstobearPresidentKennedy’sname.Andit’sfittingthenthattheperspective,thatapproachthatshebringstotheclassroomsuitsthephilosophythathearticulated.

ThisiswhatJahanasaidabouthowsheapproachesherresponsibility:“Itdoesn’tmatterhowbrightastudentisorwheretheyrankinaclass,orwhatcollegestheyhavebeenacceptedtoiftheydonothingwiththeirgifttoimprovethehumancondition.”AndJahanacaresabouttheexampleshesetsasmuchastheexamsthatshescores.(Applause.)

Allright,youjustneedtosettledown.(Laughter.)Thisiswhatmakesheragreatteacher.Youcan'tbegreatifyou'renotenthusiastic.(Laughter.)Yougottolovewhatyoudo--andsheloveswhatshedoes.

Andwhat’sremarkableaboutJahana’snaturaltalentintheclassroomisthatwhenshewasgrowingupinWaterbury,Connecticut,beingateacherwasthefurthestthingfromhermind.Infact,thereweretimeswhereshedidn’tevenwanttobeastudent.

NooneinJahana’sfamilyhadgonetocollege.Nooneathomeparticularlyencouragededucation.Shelivedinacommunityfullofpovertyandviolence,highcrimeandlowexpectations.Anddrugsweremoreaccessiblethandegrees.Asateenager,Jahanabecamepregnantandwantedtodropoutofschool.Butherteacherssawsomething.Theysawsomethinginher.Andtheygaveheranevengreaterchallenge,andthatwastodreambiggerandtoimagineabetterlife.Andtheymadeherbelieveshewascollegematerialandthatshehadthespecialgifttoimprovenotonlyherowncondition,butthosearoundher.

Andtoday,Jahana’sprincipalatKennedyHighsaysshegetsthroughtoherstudentspreciselybecausesherememberswhatit’sliketobeoneofthem.Andshedoesn'tforgetthateveryoneinherclassbringstheirowndifferentandsometimesdifficultcircumstances.Andshemeetsthemwheretheyare.Andsheseesagraceinthem,andsheseesapossibilityinthem.Andbecausesheseesit,theystartseeingit.

Andthat’swhatmakesJahanamorethanateacher;she’sacounselorandaconfidant.That’showawomanwhobecameateenagemomisnowamentortohighschoolersinthesamecitywhereshegrewup.

Andmeanwhile,outsideoftheclassroom,Jahanahasbeenaleaderintheafterschooltheaterprogram.Sheputtogethera“TeenIdol”singingshow.(Laughter.)Shewontheschool’s“DancingwiththeStars”competition.(Laughter.)IwishIhadmetyoubeforeIstartedtangoinginArgentina.(Laughter.)Couldhavegivenmesometips.

AndthisissomethingthatIthinkisparticularlyremarkable:Jahanainspiresherstudentstogiveback.Ithinksheunderstandsthatactuallysometimesthelessyouhave,themorevaluableitistoseeyourselfgiving,becausethatshowsyouthepowerandtheinfluencethatyoucanbringtobearontheworldaroundyou.

Oneyear,shehadbeenassignedtoagroupthatseemedunmotivated,soshefoundoutwhatwasdistractingthem.Sevenstudentsinoneclasshadrecentlylostaparenttocancer.SosheorganizedaRelayforLifeteamthroughtheAmericanCancerSociety,anditbecameanannualevent.

Lastyear,whenJahanawentonlinetoregisterherteam,shenoticednotone,nottwo,butfourteenteamsledbyformerstudentshadalreadysignedup.Sheorganizedherstudentstowalkforautism,tofeedthehomeless,todonateclothes,tocleanneighborhoods,andeventoregistervoters.Andsoittakesauniqueleadertogetstudentswhodon’thavealottogiveofthemselves.ButbecauseJahanaunderstoodthosekids,sheknewnottosetlowexpectations,buttosethighonesandtosaytothem,youcanmakeadifference.

Andthat'sthekindofleaderourTeacheroftheYearis.Sheknowsthatifstudentslearntheirworth,thentheclassrankandthecollegeacceptancesandtheexamscoreswillfollow.

Now,ifthere’sonethingJahanawishesshehadinschool,itwasmoreteacherswholookedlikeher,asshealreadymentioned.Andsoshewroteandwonastategranttoinspiremorestudentstobecometeachers–-butespeciallytorecruitmoreblackandLatinoteachersinherdistrict.(Applause.)Andthat'simportant.

Notoneoftheteachersstandingbehindmeorinfrontofourchildren’sclassroomschosethisprofessionbecausetheywerepromisedabigpaydayorashortworkday.(Laughter.)Although,youalldoneedtobepaidbetter.(Applause.)ThatIbelieve.Butthemainreasonteachersdowhattheydoisbecausetheylovekids.Theyloveourkids.Andyes,weshouldpayteachersmorebecausewhattheydoisinvaluableandessential.Andtheteachershere,though,willtellyouthatwhatwouldbemosthelpful,inadditiontoalittlefinancialrelief,wouldbepeopleunderstandinghowimportanttheworkyoudois--(applause)--andtoappreciateit,andnottakeitforgranted.

Andsopartofthereasonthiseventissoimportantisforustobeabletosendamessagetofuturegenerationsofteachers,totalentedyoungpeopleallacrossthecountrytounderstandthisisadreamjob;thatthisisanareawhereyouwillhavemoreinfluencepotentiallythananyotherprofessionthatyougointo.

AUDIENCEMEMBER:Sayitagain!(Laughter.)

THEPRESIDENT:Thisisaprofessionwhereyouhavethepotentialtomakemoreofadifferencethanjustaboutanythingyoucangointo.(Applause.)

Sooverthepastsevenyears,we’velookedateveryelementofoureducationsystemwithaneyetowardsboostingtheteachingprofession.Andthankstooureducatorsandtheopinionsyou’vevoicedandtheleadershipthatyou’veshown,we’vecomealongwaysincewecameintooffice.

Oneofthefirstthingswedid,inthemiddleoftheworsteconomiccrisisingenerations,whenstatesandcitieswereslashingbudgets,wastokeepmorethan300,000educatorsinourkids’classrooms.ThatwaspartoftheRecoveryAct.

We’vetakenthefirststepstowardsmakingsureeveryyoungpersoninAmericagetsthebeststartpossible.Andkeepinmindthatin2009,whenIstartedhere,only38stateshadtheirownpreschoolprograms.Today,allbutfourhave.We'veexpandedHeadStartprogramsfortensofthousandsofkidswhoneedit.(Applause.)

WemadeturningaroundAmerica’slow-performingschoolsanationalpriority.TheyearbeforeItookoffice,aquarterofourhighschoolstudentsdidn’tgraduateontime.Morethanamilliondidn’tfinishhighschoolatall.Andtoday,highschoolgraduationsrateshaveneverbeenhigher,dropoutrateshavegonedown.We’retransforminghundredsofAmerica’slowest-performingschools.

We’realsobringingnewtechnologyanddigitaltoolstoourclassroomstomodernizeandpersonalizelearning.Threeyearsago,lessthanathirdofallschooldistrictscouldaccesshigh-speedInternet,andalotoflow-incomecommunitieswereleftbehind.Today,20millionmorestudentsandmostofourschooldistrictshavefastbroadbandandwirelessintheclassroom.Andby2018,we’regoinggotmakesurethatwereachthegoalIset:99percentofourstudentswillhavehigh-speedInternet.(Applause.)

We'remakingremarkableprogresstowardsmypledgetotrain100,000STEMteachersby2021thankstothegreatworkof“100Kin10”–-which,withnewcommitmentstoprepare70,000moreteachers,Iwanttojustannouncetodaythisisagoalthatwearegoingtoachieveontime.We'reonourway.

Andweunleashedaracetothetop,convincingeverystatetoraiseitsstandardssostudentsarepreparedforsuccessincollegeandforfuturecareers.Andwelistenedtoparentswhowantedsubjectslikecomputersciencetaughtinourschools.Andwelistenedtoteacherswhohaveshownwhycookie-cuttersolutionsdon’talwayswork.We’reempoweringstatesandcommunitiestosettheirownstandardsforprogresswithaccountability.Andbecausenobodythinksourstudentsneedtospendmoretimefillinginbubblesonstandardizedtests,we’restartingtogiveeducatorslikethosebehindmetheflexibilitytospendmoretimeteachingcreativelythanthey'respendingteachingtoatest.(Applause.)

Now,thatdoesn’tmeanthatallourproblemsaresolved.YouknowitbetterthanIdo.Intoomanystates,weareunderfundingpubliceducation.Anditisthejobofstatelegislatorsandofgovernorstorecognizethatthewellbeingoftheirstateandtheircommunitiesandtheirfamiliesandtheirkidsrequiresthemtostepup.(Applause.)Intoomanyschooldistricts,westillhaveschoolsthat,despitegreateffortsbyalotofgreatteachers,arestillnotgettingourkidspreparedthewaytheyneedtobeprepared.Andwe'vegottobewillingtobehonestwhensomethingisnotworkingandsay,allright,let’strysomethingdifferent.Andsometimes,wewon'tnecessarilygetitrightthefirsttime.

ButthereasonIthink--Iwanttobringthisup.Thiswasn’tinmypreparedremarks--(laughter)--butIthinkit'simportant.Sooftennow,thedebateswingsbackandforth.Yougotsomefolkswhosayresourcesandmoneydon’tmakeadifference,andtheproblemisalltheteachers'unionsandtheywanttobreakuptheschools,andtheythinkvouchersarealltheanswer,orsomeotherapproach.Andthenontheothersideyougotfolkswhojustknowthatargumentiswrong,buttoooftenitsoundslikeit'sjustadefenseofthestatusquo.

Andthefactofthematteris,isthatwedohavetodobetterintoomanyofourschools.Weneedmoreteacherslikethisinallofyou.We'vegottomaketheprofessionmoreattractive.Wedohavetohaveaccountabilityintheclassroom.Thatdoesn’tmeanforcingyoutoteachtothetest,butwe'vegottocomeupwithmeasuresthataremeaningful,sothatifsomebodydoesn’thavetheskillsthatJahanaortheseotherteachershave,thattheycanstartdevelopingitandweknowwhattolookfor.We'vegottomakesurethatwe'resettingoursightshigh.

AndalthoughIamveryproudoftheworkthatwe'vedone,Iknowwe'renotthereyet.AndwemayhavereplacedNoChildLeftBehind,whichwasareliefforalotoffolks,buttheabsenceofsomethingthatwasn’tworkingaswellasitshouldisnotthepresenceofthekindofworkthatremainstobedone.

So,inourcountry,it'salittleharderthaninsomeothercountries,becausewe'vegotdiversepopulations,andwegotfolkscomingfromdifferentbackgroundsandstartingoffintoughercircumstances.ButourTeacheroftheYearherestandsasproofthatyoucan'tsetexpectationshighenoughforourkids.There'smagicinthosekids.Wejusthavetofindit.Wehavetounleashit.Wehavetonurtureit.Wehavetosupportit.Wehavetolovethem.Andthenwehavetotellthempreciselybecauseweloveyou,you'regoingtoworkharder,andyou'regoingtodobetter.Andwe'regoingtostayonyou.

That'swhatwehavetodo.Andwecan'tjustleaveittotheteachers--becauseifournotioniswedropoffourkidsandthentheteacherisdoingeverything,andthenourjobisdone,it'snotgoingtowork.

SothisiswhymyadministrationlaunchedTeachtoLead--(applause)--togiveteachersagreaterv