ONE OF THE BEST STORIES I'VE EVER HEARD.
>
>
>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Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show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 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 you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist in
>Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)
>
<edited to remove dreaded all-caps
>
>
>
>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 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 you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist in
>Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)
>
<edited to remove dreaded all-caps
>
