Her name was Mrs. Thompson. As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children alie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved themall the same. But that was impossible, because there in the front row,slumpedin his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before andnoticedthat he didn't play well with the other children. His clothes weremessyand that heconstantlyneeded a bath. And Teddy could be unpleasant. Itgot to the pointwhere Mrs. Thompson would actually takedelightin 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 wasrequiredtorevieweach child's pastrecordand she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she wasin fora surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his workneatlyand hasgood 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 istroubledbecause his mother has aterminal illnessand life at home is astruggle."
His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death had 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 iswithdrawnand doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she wasashamedof 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 wasclumsilywrappedin the heavy, brown paper that he got from agrocerybag. Mrs.Thompsontook painsto open it in the middle of the other presents.
Some of the children started to laugh when she found arhinestonebraceletwith some of the stonesmissing, and a bottle that was one quarter-full of perfume. But shestifledthe children's laughter when sheexclaimedhow pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on herwrist.
Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mother used to."
After the children left she cried forat leastan hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, and writing, and arithmetic.Instead, she began to teach children.
Mrs. Thompson paidparticularattention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to comealive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded.Bythe end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and,despiteher lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets."
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had beentoughat times, he'd stayed in school, hadstuck withit, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. HeassuredMrs. 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 hisbachelor's degree, he decided to go a littlefurther. 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,MD.
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 usuallyreservedfor the mother of thegroom.
Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? Sheworethat 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.
Theyhuggedeach other, and Dr. Stoddardwhisperedin 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."
Öğretmenler Günü - Teacher's Day
Her name was Mrs. Thompson. As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children alie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved themall the same. But that was impossible, because there in the front row,slumpedin his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before andnoticedthat he didn't play well with the other children. His clothes weremessyand that heconstantlyneeded a bath. And Teddy could be unpleasant. Itgot to the pointwhere Mrs. Thompson would actually takedelightin 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 wasrequiredtorevieweach child's pastrecordand she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she wasin fora surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his workneatlyand hasgood 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 istroubledbecause his mother has aterminal illnessand life at home is astruggle."
His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death had 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 iswithdrawnand doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she wasashamedof 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 wasclumsilywrappedin the heavy, brown paper that he got from agrocerybag. Mrs.Thompsontook painsto open it in the middle of the other presents.
Some of the children started to laugh when she found arhinestonebraceletwith some of the stonesmissing, and a bottle that was one quarter-full of perfume. But shestifledthe children's laughter when sheexclaimedhow pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on herwrist.
Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mother used to."
After the children left she cried forat leastan hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, and writing, and arithmetic.Instead, she began to teach children.
Mrs. Thompson paidparticularattention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to comealive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded.Bythe end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and,despiteher lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets."
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had beentoughat times, he'd stayed in school, hadstuck withit, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. HeassuredMrs. 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 hisbachelor's degree, he decided to go a littlefurther. 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,MD.
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 usuallyreservedfor the mother of thegroom.
Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? Sheworethat 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.
Theyhuggedeach other, and Dr. Stoddardwhisperedin 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."