Story of a School Teacher

Here is the story of an elementary school teacher: Her name is Mrs. Norman. As she stood in front of her primary five 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 Harry Adams. Mrs. Norman had watched Harry the year before and noticed that he did'nt play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. And Harry could be unpleasant. It got the point where Mrs. Norman 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. Norman taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Harry' s off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise. Harry's primary one teacher wrote, "Harry 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 primary two teacher wrote, "Harry 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 primary three 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." Harry's primary four teacher wrote," Harry is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school.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. Norman realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Teachers' Day presents wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Harry's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Norman 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 stone 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. Harry Adams stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Norman, 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. Norman paid particular attention to Harry. 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, Harry had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Harry became one of her "Teacher's Pets." A year later, she found a note under her door, from Harry, 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 Harry. He then wrote that he had finished sixth form 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 rough at times, he'd stayed in school, stuck with it, and would soon graduate from university with highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Norman that she was still the best and favorite teacher he'd 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'd ever had. But now his name was a little longer - the letter was signed, Harry Adams, MD. The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that year. Harry said he'd met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years earlier and he was wondering if Mrs. Norman might agree to sit in the place at the wedding which was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Norman did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Harry remembered his mother wearing on their last moments together. They hugged each other, and Dr. Adams whispered in Mrs. Norman's ear, "Thank you, Mrs. Norman for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference." Mrs. Norman, with tears in her eyes, whispered back, "Harry, 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." Morale of the story Please remember that wherever you go, and whatever you do, you will have the opportunity to touch and/or change a person's outlook. It is you. Please try to do it in a positive way.