Until I was a second grade middle school student, I was a very shy person. I didn't communicate well with friends or teachers. I couldn't speak first when I met a new person for the first time. I could only answer questions. So until that time I didn't have many friends. But now I'm not shy anymore. Because I met a special teacher in the second grade of middle school, I changed.
        The first time I met her, she looked like a very kind and generous person like my mother. She was about fifty years old. She was short and a little overweight. She always smiled at us, and she told us she had two sons. She taught us art.
        There are about fifty students in every middle school classroom in Korea. So teachers can't take care of all of their students. It is the typical condition of Korean middle schools. At that time, I was a common student. When I was a middle school student, our class had a lot of events. For example, at the beginning of the semester, we had to clean and decorate our classroom. Because I was shy, I couldn't enjoy cleaning and decorating with my classmates. But I wanted to work together with them. Suddenly my teacher asked me,“Would you like to join us?" as if she read my mind. When I heard the question, I couldn't answer. I only nodded to her, because I was very surprised and happy. I worked very hard because I wanted to meet her expectations. We cleaned the classroom, made a timetable and a notice board, and decorated. I could make many good friends through the work.
        In another case at that time, my teacher gave special praise to students who achieved good grades on examinations. I also wanted to show my effort in studying to her. So I studied hard in school and at an academy. After all, my grade was advanced on the final examination of the first semester. I was very happy, and she also gave me praise unsparingly. She bought me and other students who achieved good grades lunch at a Chinese restaurant. I remembered there were five students including me. It was the first time I had had lunch with a teacher. I was very happy, and it was really impressive to me.
        This special teacher always encouraged me. Of course I was not special. She gave her love equally to other students, too. I knew that. But until that time, I had never met a teacher like her. I gradually developed confidence, and I began to become more active in my class. I worked for my class and school. Actually, they were very small things, but because of them, I could meet a lot of people and make many nice friends. Now my character is changed. I don't have a fear of meeting new people and doing new projects.
        When we finished the class, we made our own book. We wrote our essays, poems, and diary entries and took pictures. We gathered them all together, and we made a book of our memories. Until now the book is one of my treasures, and sometimes I remember my middle school days through the book. When the class was finished I was very sad. I didn't want to leave my classmates and teacher. I am changed because of her. Maybe I can never forget her.