For Teachers, DayCare workers, and Everyone else

[MortgageQueen]

I know some may of seen this before but I thought it worthy of repeating. . .

A Teacher's Story

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 Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't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 honours.
>> He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favourite
>> 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 favourite 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 Doctor at Iowa
>> Methodist in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)
>>

[Darth Penguin]

John Stoddard Cancer Center

http://www.snopes.com/glurge/teddy.asp

[slayer_glade]

You made me tear up.

[recessionisnotfun]

Good story writing none the less

[TaniaD]

The links were disappointing.....the story made me tear up, then I got upset that it's all a lie. I think it would have been better to believe this lie.

And this isn't a dig to who posted the links, not at all, so please don't take it that way.

[MortgageQueen]

I apologize for posting it as a true story. I should know better to check authenticity.
Hopefully, it is inspiring to everyone just the same.
I think there are a lot of "real" amazing people like this out there. . .and it's good to be reminded of the kind of difference we are all capable of making in people's lives. . .especially children in need. . .
Cheers!

[snuffaluffagus]

This story makes a wonderful fable and an important reminder of the impact we can have on children in our lives or that we come across. Simple encouragement and support can have such a positive lifelong lasting effect. Thank you for sharing, MortgageQueen .

[recessionisnotfun]

Fake or not, I loved it. Nice to know ppl out there write good, and mean well with the morals

[abbasgirl]

I was aware that this story isn't true...and yet it is very true. There are children all around us who are falling through the cracks and it really does take just one person to make all the difference.

[danielzmom]

nice story! thx for sharing

[viji_mothi]

true or not, it is a wonderful story. thanks for sharing

[Brynhilde]

True or not.. I enjoyed reading the story. I hope we all have had a special teacher, childcare worker, caregiver, etc who has impacted us. I hope there are more of teachers like that out there too!

[safielstar]

I've seen this story many times and it never fails to make me cry. Even if the details are 'fake', the scenario is real and happens all the time in our classrooms, it makes us realize just how much impact we can have even though we always think we don't make much of an impact at all.

[MrsSunshine]

Im with the others on this as well. This 'story' happens in many classrooms every year. We can only hope that our children are the lucky ones to have 'her' for their teacher.

[Insane]

i was aware that this story isn't true...and yet it is very true. There are children all around us who are falling through the cracks and it really does take just one person to make all the difference.

so true!!!!!