[00:06.88]As Mrs. Thompson, an elementary scool teacher,
[00:10.76]stood in front of her 5th grade class on the first day of school,
[00:14.97]she told the children a lie. Like most teachers,
[00:19.03]she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same.
[00:23.19]But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat,
[00:29.21]was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
[00:32.39]Mrs. Thompson noticed that Teddy didn't play well with the other children,
[00:37.60]that his clothes were messy.
[00:39.16]And Teddy could be so unpleasant
[00:42.08]that she would find it a pleasure to put a big “F” on his papers.
[00:47.99]At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught,
[00:50.94]she was required to review each child's past records
[00:54.78]and she found that Teddy was a bright child,
[00:58.16]but became withdrawn after his mother’s death.
[01:01.13]By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem.
[01:05.39]She began to pay particular attention to Teddy.
[01:08.68]As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive.
[01:13.05]The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded.
[01:16.88]By the end of the year,
[01:18.53]Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class.
[01:22.35]Years after Teddy’s graduation, Mrs. Thompson got a letter,
[01:27.38]saying that Teddy would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors.
[01:32.20]Then four more years passed and yet another letter came.
[01:36.25]The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had.
[01:41.93]But now his name was a little longer—
[01:44.89]the letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D.
[01:49.04]There was yet another letter that spring.
[01:51.89]Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going to be married.
[01:55.83]He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago
[01:59.66]and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding
[02:05.13]that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.
[02:08.30]Of course, Mrs. Thompson did.
[02:10.71]At the wedding, they hugged each other,
[02:13.78]and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson’s ear,
[02:17.27]“Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me.
[02:21.10]Thank you so much for making me feel important
[02:24.55]and showing me that I could make a difference.”
[02:27.23]Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back.
[02:31.27]She said, “Teddy, you have it all wrong.
[02:35.17]You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference.
[02:38.83]I didn't know how to teach until I met you.”
