老师的一堂课A Teacher's Lesson
许多年前，汤普逊老师对着她五年级的学生们撒了一个谎：她说她会平等地爱每个孩子！但这是不可能的，因为前排就坐着泰迪‧史塔特--一个邋遢、上课不专心的小男孩，事实上，汤普逊老师很喜欢用粗红笔在泰迪的考卷上画大大的叉，然后在最上排写个不及格！
某一天，汤普逊老师检视每个学生以前的学习纪录表，她意外地发现泰迪之前的老师给的评语十分惊人：
一年级老师写道：「泰迪是个聪明的孩子，永远面带笑容，他的作业很整洁、很有礼貌，他让周遭的人很快乐！」
二年级老师说：「泰迪很优秀，很受同学欢迎，但他的母亲罹患了绝症，他很担心，家里生活一定不好过！」
三年级老师：「母亲过世泰迪一定不好过，他很努力表现但父亲总不在意，若再没有改善，他的家庭生活将严重打击泰迪。」
四年级老师：「泰迪开始退缩，对课业提不起兴趣，没有什么朋友，有时会在课堂上睡觉。」
直到现在，汤普逊老师才了解泰迪的困难，而深感羞愧，而当她收到泰迪送的圣诞礼物—别人的礼物用缎带及包装纸装饰的漂漂亮亮，泰迪送的礼物却是用杂货店的牛皮纸袋捆起来─汤普逊老师更觉得难过，汤普逊老师忍着心酸，当着全班的面拆开泰迪的礼物，有的孩子开始嘲笑泰迪送的圣诞礼物：一条假钻手环，上面还缺了几颗宝石，另外是一罐只剩四分之一的香水。但是汤普逊老师不但惊呼漂亮，还带上手环，并喷了一些香水在手腕上，其他小朋友全都愣住了。
放学后泰迪‧史塔特留下来对汤普逊老师说：「老师，妳今天闻起来好像我妈咪喔！」一等泰迪回家，汤普逊老师整整哭了一个小时，就在那一天，汤普逊老师不再教「书」：不教阅读、不教写作、不教数学，相反地，她开始「教育孩童」！
汤普逊老师开始特别关注泰迪，而泰迪的心似乎重新活了过来，汤普逊老师越鼓励泰迪，泰迪的反应越快，到了学年尾声，泰迪已经成为班上最聪明的孩子之一。虽然汤普逊老师说过她会平等地爱每一个孩子，但泰迪却是她最喜欢的学生。
一年后，汤普逊老师在门边发现一张纸条，是泰迪写来的，上面说汤普逊老师是他一生遇到最棒的老师！六年过去了，汤普逊老师又发现另一张泰迪写的纸条，泰迪已经高中毕业，成绩全班第三名，而汤普逊老师仍是他一生遇到最棒的老师！
四年后，汤普逊老师又收到一封信，泰迪说有时候学校生活并不顺利，但他仍坚持下去，而不久的将来他将获得荣誉学位毕业！他再一次告诉汤普逊老师，她仍是他这一辈子遇到最棒的老师！
四年过去，又来了一封信。信里面告诉汤普逊老师，泰迪大学毕业后决定继续攻读更高学位，他也不忘再说一次，汤普逊老师还是他这一生遇到最棒的老师，而这封信的结尾多了几个字：「泰迪‧史塔特博士。」
故事还没结束呢！你瞧！该年春天又来了一封信，泰迪说他遇到生命中的女孩，马上要结婚了，泰迪解释说他的父亲几年前过世了，他希望汤普逊老师可以参加他的婚礼并坐上属于新郎「母亲」的位置，汤普逊老师完成了泰迪的心愿。但你知道吗？汤普逊老师竟然戴着当年泰迪送的假钻手环，还喷了同一瓶香水，是泰迪母亲过世前的最后一个圣诞节用过的香水。
他们互相拥抱，史塔特博士悄悄在耳边告诉汤普逊老师：「汤普逊老师，谢谢妳相信我，谢谢妳让我觉得自己很重要，让我相信我有能力去改变(make a difference)！」
汤普逊老师热泪满盈，告诉泰迪：「泰迪，你错了！是你教导我、让我相信我有能力去改变，一直到遇见你，我才知道该怎么教书！」
Many years ago, Mrs. Thompson stood in front of her 5th grade class and told the children a lie that she loved them all the same. But that was impossible, because there in the front row, a little boy named Teddy Stoddard was so messy and inattentive in class that 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.
One day, as Mrs. Thompson was reviewing each child's past records, she was surprised by comments of Teddy's former teachers:
"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," wrote Teddy's first grade teacher.
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."
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 which 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, 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 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, M.D.
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 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, 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."
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