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MAKING A DIFFERENCE

As Jean Thompson stood in front of her 5th grade class on the first day of school, she told the children a lie. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she would love them all the same.

She didn't know she was lying, but she was because she hadn't really met Teddy Stoddard yet. Mrs. Thompson thought she knew who he was. She noticed him the year before. He didn't play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath he was an unpleasant little boy. 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.

But soon that changed. Mrs. Thompson learned why Teddy was the way he was when she reviewed Teddy's records. 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 Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school.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."

Something changed in Mrs. Thompson as she closed the folder. But something happened that Christmas to make her a different teacher and Teddy a different student.

At Christmas time, the children brought her 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.

Some of the children started to laugh when she opened his present. Inside she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a perfume bottle that was one quarter full.

Mrs. Thompson stifled the children's laughter when she fussed over the bracelet and put on some of the perfume. Teddy Stoddard lingered behind 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, and 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 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. 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 honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was the best teacher he ever had.

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!

She got another letter that spring. Teddy said he'd 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 in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. She went. She wore a bracelet, with several rhinestones missing. And dabbed on some perfume from a bottle that was almost empty.

After the ceremony, 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. "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."

—Author Unknown, Story contributed by: Tracy Finn! Posted on: 7-1-99 www.hangtough.com