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"Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school.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, and 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 favourite 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
favourite 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.