Touching story.

[cateyes1]

 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 Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school.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 you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist Hospital 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?

[countrygirl12]

I have read stories like this a hundred times.  I have often wondered (and if there are any teachers on here please chime in and answer my question) if it is true that teachers write in the folder that every kid has things about the student.  Any times they were punished, tidbits about the teachers opinion of the students, and stuff like that.

If they do I would love to see the folder that was kept on me in grade school.  I do feel like there are a lot of teachers that judge a kid when they first come into class.  I think some kids are written off as being stupid or just not liked just because of something that they read or have learned from a past teacher.

I would think that a teacher would be too busy with their own students to worry about a student that was in the class below that they may have the next year.  I don't think people realize how much of an effect their words can have on someone else's life.  Whether positive or negative.  And whether said TO that person or ABOUT that person.

I once had a "friend"  (use that term loosely) that I used for a person ref for a job.  She was already working where I had applied.  And the things she said were kind of negative and could have kept me from getting the job.  Smh.  I just don't get people.

And I do realize this is probably a made up story but even if THIS situation is not real there are situations just like it happening all the time.

[Penwoir]

I do agree a teacher can make all the difference in a child's life. My son struggles to stay focused in class, he is always thinking about projects he has going on at home (how to make that aeroplace out of typing paper or how to make an airline carrier out of Lego) that he puts minimum thought in at class. Don't get me wrong, most of his papers come home with 100% on them and he picks things up quicker than anybody. However it's his behaviour in class that needs improving. Most of his teachers frown on him not being able to conform to the norm in class, however his first grade Teacher saw his potential and suggested him for the "gifted and talented" group of students. He didn't achieve this status (partly because he was too young to be tested) but the thing I was most proud of (other than my son) was that his first grade teacher truely wondered if his behaviours in class was that he was not stimulated enough. All this time I had viewed my son as naughty, but maybe he was just not sufficiently stretched. Time will tell. For the time being, I am thrilled that a teacher saw beyond his behavior to the actual boy!

[demaina]

This is the main problem with people it seems.  We are so interested in the outer apperance of the person, that we sometimes forget about the person inside.  There was a post somewhere that said something like "everyone is fighting a battle that you know nothing about.  Be nice."  That really needs to be shown to people cause I don't get how people can be so mean and rude to someone else for almost no reason.

I've had waitresses and waiters tell my friends and I that we are really nice customers cause we don't complain when there is a problem that couldn't be avoided.  It just amazes me that people are so amazed by our good behavior that they feel the need to tell us.  Are people really that bad that a good group standing out is such a shock?

The story really needs to be told to many others.  We affect people way more than we know.  I don't know what it is about me, but I will say hi to people, and I will get their entire life story if I stand their long enough.  I will have not known this person before hand and yet they just tell me everything.  If we could get more people just listen and not be so tied up in their own life, I think we wouldn't have so many problems.