2007-10-25T14:30:00.000-07:00

The Value of Affirmation ...
...Via my friend Chip Hedges

...... The teacher who quit teaching,
reading, and began to teach children.

Her name was Mrs. Thompson. As she stood in
front of her 5th 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 that 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 willsoon 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"Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school.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 was clumsily
wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from
the 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 racelet 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 Mum 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 the lie, that
she loved all 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 his whole 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 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 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. Of course,
Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore
that bracelet, the one with the 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 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."

..........................................................