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Reprinted from the Internet courtesy of guidance counselor Debbie Behinke. This is a (true) story of an elementary school teacher named Mrs.Thompson. As she stood in front of her fifth grade class on the very first day of school, Mrs. Thompson told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. 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. Teddy could be unpleasant too. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually enjoy marking his papers with her broad red pen "X" "wrong," "sloppy work", and then putting a big "F" at the top. At the school where Mrs. Thompson worked, she was required to review each child's past records. 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 have in class". His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a wonderful 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 tried to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him, if steps are not taken". By now Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas gifts wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present 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. Mrs.Thompson 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 to say, "Mrs. Thompson, you smell just like my Mom used to". After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day she decided to stop 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 promise that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her favorites. A year later, she found a note under her door from Teddy, telling her that she was still the best teacher he had 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 had 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 and would graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still his best and favorite teacher. Four more years passed and yet another letter came. Teddy explained that after he had gotten his bachelor's degree, he had decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still his favorite and best teacher and was signed Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D. Our story doesn't end there. You see there was still another letter that spring. Teddy wrote that he'd met this woman and was going to be married. He went on to say that his father had passed away several years ago and asked Mrs. Thompson if she would sit in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course Mrs. Thompson said yes. At the wedding she wore the rhinestone bracelet that Teddy had given her all t hose years ago, and dabbed some of the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing behind her ears. When they hugged hello, Dr. Stoddard said, "Thank you, Mrs. Thompson, for believing in me. Thank you for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference". Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back, "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".
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