背景介绍：
我儿子近11岁来美， 在5年时间在5个学校读书（来时的小学；爸妈买房搬家， 另一小学；初中；妈妈再婚，转 去继父处那儿继续上初中；妈妈和继父又买房子，当地高中）。
来美后， 因为语言问题，他学习一般，推也推不动。高三时， 自己要了， 但是为时已晚。
虽然我有给他请私人补课，最后的SAT也很不理想。
有私校要他， 他不喜欢。他喜欢的私校， 人家不要他。
在接近最后一段决定学校的时候， 他决定去一个麻州最好的州立学校。付了400美元定金。
在要上学的前2周， 收到一个他喜欢的私校的候补名额， 问他愿意去开放日看看吗？那是一个就3000学生的小大学。
开放日那天， 他看了后， 喜欢。然后就当天付定金， 决定在那个小学校就读。
那个州立的400美刀定金就打水漂了， 但是我们不后悔。
在他大学期间， 他超努力， 最后以很好成绩毕业， 在年级里排名前位。
还没毕业， 就拿到很好的两个工作offer。
在那知名公司工作2年后， 人家绝对不喜欢了， 要转跑道。
要转行当数学老师！
他有自己付清的公寓， 紧靠上班单位。
他在准备考试期间， 他要上班， 他还做美式足球裁判（初中和高中， 业余），找新的舍友， 自己做饭。。。
真的不容易！
前段时间他过了英语考试， 昨天， 数学考试也过了， 他情绪也很激动， 看官可以从他的电邮里感觉出来。
我真心为他骄傲， 为他的脚踏实地叫好！
儿子， 加油！！！！
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Hi Dad,
Thanks for the congratulatory remarks, I appreciate it! Passing the exams and actually getting a teaching position are two very different things. This is just Step 1 in this process. But an important one as I now at least have the qualifications to teach.
It is hard to believe that just fifteen years ago I came to this country without knowing the language, culture, etc. I think one key takeaway that I have learned over this period is that effort is very important, more important than natural ability. Some people are naturally better at some things than others, whether that natural ability is intelligence or athletic ability is largely irrelevant. The key factors are one's willingness to put in the effort and his or her level of preparation.
I am the first one to admit that there are many others in this world who are much smarter than I. This was true in college just as it was for passing this exam. In college, many of my fellow classmates were naturally smarter than I. So graduating near the top of my class after being wait-listed just four years prior was largely due to my effort, preparation, and motivation to succeed; and not my natural intelligence. Similarly, when I took the Math preparation class in Salem back in April, one of the students said she had taken this exact exam twice before and could not pass it. This was an older lady who used to be an engineer. What I do is that engineers are not stupid. I can almost guarantee you that her IQ is higher than my IQ. I don't know why she failed twice while I was able to pass it on my first attempt. What I do know is that I did my best to go into that exam prepared. The exam wasn't easy. But if I hadn't prepared for it, then I would have definitely failed.
One's natural talent will only go so far. It is that person's willingness to put in the effort and preparation that will make most of the difference. I hope I will have an opportunity to teach that principle someday. That concept is a lot more meaningful than any academic subject I could ever teach.
To answer your question about the certification: yes, it is for middle school. That is the grade level I plan to pursue for now. In the future, I may consider taking the high school exam. That will, of course, require a lot more preparation on my part.
Thanks Mom as well!
XXXX
