邓布利多当选最佳模范教师

This academic year students will be motivated by inspirational teachers. But which teacher characters from fiction and popular culture inspire real life teachers?
新学年开始了，循循善诱的老师将给学生带来鼓舞。那么，小说和流行文化塑造的哪些教师角色能给现实中的老师带来启发呢？

According to a Times Education Supplement survey of 1,200 educators, two characters from the Harry Potter series grabbed prominent places in education's 50 favourite fictional teachers.
《泰晤士报教育增刊》调查了1200名教育工作者后发现，50个最受教育界欢迎的虚构教师角色中，哈利波特(Harry Potter)系列中的两个人物名列前茅。

Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, topped the poll. "Albus Dumbledore was never proud or vain; he could find something to value in anyone, however apparently insignificant or wretched. That he was the most inspiring and the best loved of all Hogwarts headmasters cannot be in question," Elphias Doge said of Dumbledore in his obituary.
霍格沃茨魔法学校的校长阿不思·邓布利多在投票中名列榜首。埃菲亚斯·多吉在邓布利多的讣告中写道：“阿不思·邓布利多从不骄傲自负，他能发现每个人身上的闪光点，无论那个人看上去多么渺小卑微。他是霍格沃茨有史以来最鼓舞人心和受人爱戴的校长，这一点毋庸质疑。”

In second place was beloved Miss Jennifer Honey from the Roald Dahl classic Matilda. "She was a mild and quiet person who never raised her voice and was seldom seen to smile, but there is no doubt she possessed that rare gift for being adored by every small child under her care," wrote Dahl.
位列第二的是罗尔德·达尔的经典之作《玛蒂尔达》中深受人们喜爱的詹妮弗·亨尼小姐。达尔写道：“她性情温和，平时不大讲话，即使说话也从不提高声音，也不常笑，但毫无疑问的是，任何一个在她的爱护下成长起来的小孩都会非常喜欢她，她就是拥有这样罕见的天赋。”

And the students' adoration of her transforms them into willing learners. On the first day of school, only a few of students could spell "cat". With Miss Honey's exceptional teaching prowess, by Thursday of the first week, even one of the classes' weaker students, Prudence, could spell "difficulty" without any difficulty.
孩子们都很喜欢她，自然也有了学习的动力。开学第一天，只有几个学生能拼出“猫”这个单词，但亨尼小姐教学水平高超，到了第四天，连普鲁登斯这个班里学得较慢的学生也能毫不费力地拼出“困难”这个单词。

And in complete contrast, tough-but-fair Professor Minerva McGonagall, head of Gryffindor House and deputy headmistress also at Hogwarts, placed third on the list.
与上述两位截然相反的是严厉却不偏心的米勒娃·麦格教授，她是格兰芬多学院的院长和霍格沃茨代理校长，在票选中位列第三。

Fourth was John Keating, played by the late Robin Williams in the film Dead Poets Society, who inspired students through poetry. In direct contrast to the school goal of preparing students for college, Keating taught his students that occupations were noble pursuits to sustain life, but passion is the reason to live. He encouraged his students to look at things differently when they thought they knew something. "Even though it may seem silly, or wrong, you must try," he advised.
排名第四的是在电影《死亡诗社》中的约翰·基廷，由已故罗宾·威廉姆斯扮演，他以诗歌鼓舞学生。与校方让学生们备战考试、进入大学的目标截然相反，基廷教育学生们，工作固然是维持生活的崇高追求，但激情才是生而为人的根本原因。他鼓励学生们以另一种眼光看待熟悉的事物。他建议道：“尽管这样可能让你看起来很蠢，或者根本就是错的，但你必须得尝试。”

In the book Keeping Good Teachers, Mark Goldberg offers observations about the key characteristics of great teachers. These fictional teachers who have endeared all exemplified the qualities of "willingness to put in the necessary time", a "love for the age group they teach" and an "in-depth content knowledge".
马克·高柏格在他的《留住好老师》一书中提出了优秀教师的几个重要特质。这些深受欢迎的教师角色都展示出了几个特质：“愿意投入必要的时间”、“喜爱自己的学生”，以及“学科知识渊博”。

Now, whom do I consider the most inspirational of all fictional teachers? Without a doubt, Yoda, the Jedi master from Star Wars. Great teachers are unique. They transcend race, nationality and species.
那么，在我看来，在所有虚构的教师角色中，哪一个才是最循循善诱的呢？当然非尤达莫属了，他是《星球大战》中的绝地大师。优秀的教师是独一无二的，他们早就超越了种族、国籍和物种的局限。

Yoda's key teachings are lessons for a lifetime: "A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defence, never for attack"; "Adventure, excitement - a Jedi craves not these things"; and "Unlearn what you have learned", because old habits preclude new learning.
尤达最重要的教义让人终生受益。“一个绝地武士要利用原力获取知识、自我防卫，而不是主动进攻”、“冒险、刺激——这些都不是绝地武士所渴望的”、“忘掉以前所学的吧，”因为老习惯总会妨碍你学习新知识。

However, Yoda's most memorable quote is one of the last he gives to the young Luke Skywalker. It is especially invaluable to students as they begin this academic year. If they want to succeed, they need to give their best. "Do. Or do not. There is no try."
而尤达流传最广的名言是他留给年轻的卢克·天行者(Luke Skywalker)的最后几句话。这对开启新学年的学生们来说尤为珍贵。要想成功，就要拼尽全力。“要么做，要么不做。没有尝试这一说。”

Vocabulary
obituary: 讣告
prowess: 杰出才能
endear: 使……受欢迎