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I AM NOT THE AUTHOR.
I got this in an e-mail.
There is a story many years ago of an elementaryteacher. Her name was Mrs. Thompson. And as she stood in front of her fifth 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 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"Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school.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 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 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. She put it on and dabbed 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 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 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 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 doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he'd met a 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 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."
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corrugated exhaust hose
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Sorry dudes. It made me cry but I thought it's just cuz I'm such a sap. Now I know it's because it's universally touching. Possibly it's also because of the anniversary that's looming. If I'd known it would get to you guys as well, I would have put a hanky warning on it or something ...
well bully for you guys- you've got nippleguard but where is my drying up tears link?! wink :D Seriously, I will be more careful about posting shit like that in the future. :)
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ignition wire
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Oh my lord that just about made me cry! cry
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Great, another once in a decade thank you. This E-mail has been passed around educators for years. How about reminding your kids to thank their teachers on a daily basis. Better yet, keep the thank you and demand better salaries for your educators. A lot of good educators are forced to not only be the teacher, but mentors and surrogate parents. By the way, for free or close to free. ($200 dollar stipend for over 50 hours of work sounds good to me.)
I wonder what would happen to after school programs like study skills, sports, chess club, etc..if teachers refused to do them for free. Are the parents volunteering. No, just complaints. Even read them on this forum. Oh yeah, we are only into education to save the kids. This is the reality.
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Silver Surfer, that is not always the case. There are piles of PTA activity stuff here in my house. There are about two dozen parents at our school that are involved. Really involved, PTA, fundraising, volunteer in class or field trips. Every day they are organizing and giving up their valuable time.
Of course the 640 other kids' parents....well, you are right about them. :rolleyes:
