Question:
As she stood in front of her 5th grade class
on the very first day of school, she told the
children an untruth. Like most teachers, she
looked at her students and said that she
loved them all the same. However, 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 did not play well
with the other children, that his clothes were
messy and that he constantly needed a bath.
In addition, 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is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest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
he 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 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 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 had 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, MD.
The story does not end there. You see, there
was yet another letter that Spring. Teddy said
he had 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 at the wedding
in the place 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. Moreover, she
made sure she was wearing the perfume that
Teddy remembered his mother wearing on
their last Christmas together.
They hugged each other, 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! ."
For those of you who don't know, Teddy
Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist in Des
Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)
Warm someone's heart today. . . pass this along.
I love this story so very much, I cry every time
I read it. Just try to make a difference in
someone's life today? tomorrow? just "do it".
Random acts of kindness, I think they call it?
great story Jamie.....too early in the morning for a tearjerker
....darn....can't see the screen now!
and of course we all remember incidents from our own school years after reading this......wish mine had been as enlightening.
There was no Miss Thompson just Miss Hayes.....she did not like children and never should have been a teacher......my DH is 3 years older and went to the same grade school......when we started dating ....we compared notes on "good ol Franklin School"
ha-ha you guessed it...he had her too. she humiliated children so much its a wonder any one came out normal from her classes.
Our local paper did a story on me and my art years ago....putting a full front page photo of me drawing a portrait (on the rotogravure section)...with a very nice interview.....I told the story of how I got an "F" in art when in 3rd grade, (for using colors that "didn't go together") the teacher
humiliated me in front of the whole class.....I probably withdrew from any art..cause I didn't even try, til I was in my thirties to draw.
There are no wings named for me, but I'm happy with what I'm doing....and many, many homeowners have purchased my art, and have pieces hanging.....(almost thirty years worth)
P.S. that teacher was in a retirement home with a grandmother of a good friend ( which was a surprise to me) and my friend called me to ask if it was ok to show her the article....guess what I said:D
Im sorry that had to happen to you then...teachers are an influencial part of a child's like and for her to destroy your talent for such time...its just awful...Im glad you got yours though I hope she realized what she did have a great day!
Jamie, Sally....both great stories!!! I do believe in my heart that most teachers are in their profession so that they may impact a childs life in some positive way (at least for me, that is my motivation for teaching). Thanks for sharing.
hope you enjoyed your mini vacation in NYC................
Luckily for students today........they don't have to put up with what my era did!! our teachers were not allowed to be married (or maybe I should paraphrase that...Women Teachers weren't)...so they were undoubtedly frustrated....and can you blame them.... I graduated before you were a glimmer:D and it wasn't fun in school like it is today....
I truely like the teaching field...now.
and even collect sayings about teachers and teaching........
I could drive you nuts with my sayings, but I won't...here is one anyway!
on the very first day of school, she told the
children an untruth. Like most teachers, she
looked at her students and said that she
loved them all the same. However, 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 did not play well
with the other children, that his clothes were
messy and that he constantly needed a bath.
In addition, 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
he 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 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 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 had 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, MD.
The story does not end there. You see, there
was yet another letter that Spring. Teddy said
he had 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 at the wedding
in the place 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. Moreover, she
made sure she was wearing the perfume that
Teddy remembered his mother wearing on
their last Christmas together.
They hugged each other, 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! ."
For those of you who don't know, Teddy
Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist in Des
Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)
Warm someone's heart today. . . pass this along.
I love this story so very much, I cry every time
I read it. Just try to make a difference in
someone's life today? tomorrow? just "do it".
Random acts of kindness, I think they call it?
Answers:
great story Jamie.....too early in the morning for a tearjerker
....darn....can't see the screen now!
and of course we all remember incidents from our own school years after reading this......wish mine had been as enlightening.
There was no Miss Thompson just Miss Hayes.....she did not like children and never should have been a teacher......my DH is 3 years older and went to the same grade school......when we started dating ....we compared notes on "good ol Franklin School"
ha-ha you guessed it...he had her too. she humiliated children so much its a wonder any one came out normal from her classes.
Our local paper did a story on me and my art years ago....putting a full front page photo of me drawing a portrait (on the rotogravure section)...with a very nice interview.....I told the story of how I got an "F" in art when in 3rd grade, (for using colors that "didn't go together") the teacher
humiliated me in front of the whole class.....I probably withdrew from any art..cause I didn't even try, til I was in my thirties to draw.
There are no wings named for me, but I'm happy with what I'm doing....and many, many homeowners have purchased my art, and have pieces hanging.....(almost thirty years worth)
P.S. that teacher was in a retirement home with a grandmother of a good friend ( which was a surprise to me) and my friend called me to ask if it was ok to show her the article....guess what I said:D
Answers:
Im sorry that had to happen to you then...teachers are an influencial part of a child's like and for her to destroy your talent for such time...its just awful...Im glad you got yours though I hope she realized what she did have a great day!
Answers:
Jamie, Sally....both great stories!!! I do believe in my heart that most teachers are in their profession so that they may impact a childs life in some positive way (at least for me, that is my motivation for teaching). Thanks for sharing.
Answers:
hope you enjoyed your mini vacation in NYC................
Luckily for students today........they don't have to put up with what my era did!! our teachers were not allowed to be married (or maybe I should paraphrase that...Women Teachers weren't)...so they were undoubtedly frustrated....and can you blame them.... I graduated before you were a glimmer:D and it wasn't fun in school like it is today....
I truely like the teaching field...now.
and even collect sayings about teachers and teaching........
I could drive you nuts with my sayings, but I won't...here is one anyway!
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