Avi Ben-Zeev - Teachers Make a Difference

The speaker shares their journey from a childhood with low educational expectations to achieving a PhD from Yale. Despite early struggles in school and being told they lacked talent, a pivotal relationship with Henry, a student at Brown University, inspired them to pursue higher education. Encouraged by Henry, the speaker attended Rhode Island College, where they excelled academically and eventually applied to Yale, achieving success against the odds.

What was the narrator's initial educational environment like?

• Highly competitive

• Focused on individual attention

• Crowded and with low expectations

• Supportive and encouraging

Who played a significant role in motivating the narrator to pursue higher education?

• A teacher from elementary school

• A family member

• A professor from Yale

• Henry, a student from Brown University

What was the narrator's initial reaction to the idea of going to America?

• Confident and ready

• Excited and eager

• Indifferent and uninterested

• Surprised and hesitant

Which college did the narrator first attend in the United States?

• Brown University

• Harvard University

• Yale University

• Rhode Island College

What was the narrator advised against by a professor during their college journey?

• Applying to prestigious universities

• Studying in a research lab

• Taking notes in Hebrew

• Returning to their home country