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 told them that she loved them all the same.
However, that was impossible because there in the front row, slumped in his sit was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with other children, that his clothes were messy and he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant.
It got the piont where Mrs.Thompson could actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold "X" and putting 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 Teddy's off until last. However when she viewed 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 joy to be around..."
His second teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent, 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 teacher wrote, "His mother's death had been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't showmuch interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps weren't taken.
Teddy's fourth teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school.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 Christmass presents wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy.
His present was clumsily wrapped in a heavy brown paper that he got from the grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of other presents. Some of the students started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some stones missing and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume.
But she stiffled 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 students left, she sat down and cried for at least an hour.
However, that was impossible because there in the front row, slumped in his sit was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with other children, that his clothes were messy and he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant.
It got the piont where Mrs.Thompson could actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold "X" and putting 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 Teddy's off until last. However when she viewed 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 joy to be around..."
His second teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent, 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 teacher wrote, "His mother's death had been hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father doesn't showmuch interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps weren't taken.
Teddy's fourth 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 Christmass presents wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy.
His present was clumsily wrapped in a heavy brown paper that he got from the grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of other presents. Some of the students started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some stones missing and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume.
But she stiffled 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 students left, she sat down and cried for at least an hour.
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