There is a story many years ago of an elementary teacher. Her
name was Mrs. Thompson. And as she stood in front of her 5th
grade class on the very first day of school, she told the
children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students
and said that she loved them all the same. But that was
impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat,
was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard. Mrs. Thompson had watched
Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with
the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he
constantly needed a bath. And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got
to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in
marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then
putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.
At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to
review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until
last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a
surprise. Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a
bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has
good manners... he is a joy to be around."His second grade
teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by
his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a
terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle." His
third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard
on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't show much
interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps
aren't taken." Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote,
"Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in
school. He doesn't have many friends and sometimes sleeps in
class."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of
herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her
Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright
paper, except for Teddy's. His present which was clumsily wrapped
in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag.Mrs.
Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other
presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a
rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle
that was one quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the
children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet
was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist.
Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to
say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used
to."After the children left she cried for at least an
hour.On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing, and
arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson
paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his
mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the
faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one
of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that
she would love all the children the same, Teddy =became one of
her "teacher's pets."
A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy,
telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in
his whole life.
Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then
wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and
she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while
things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck
with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of
honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and
favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This
time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he
decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was
still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name
was a little longer --the letter was signed, Theodore F.
Stoddard, M.D.
The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another
letter that spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going
to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of
years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to
sit in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the
mother of the groom.Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what?
She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing.
And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy
remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas
together.They hugged each, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs.
Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in
me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me
that I could make a difference Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her
eyes, whispered back. She said,
"Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught
me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach
until I met you."