THE TEACHING PROFESSION

CHAPTER 8
TEACHING, THE NOBLEST OF ALL PROFESSION

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 THE TEACHING PROFESSION

CHAPTER 8
TEACHING THE NOBLEST OF ALL PROFESSIONS

LEARNING OUTCOMES

 Cite reasons why teaching is said to be the noblest of all professions.

 Commit to the teaching profession, the noblest of all profession.

ACTIVITY
Instruction: Read the story of Teddy and Ms. Thompson titled “Three Letter from Teddy.

THREE LETTERS FROM TEDDY

By: Elizabeth Silance Ballard
This teacher's reaction to an unexpected gift from an unloved child paid off in a mi raculous
way.

I have not seen Teddy Stallard since he was a student in my 5th grade class, 15 years ago.
It was early in my career, and I had only been teaching two years. From the first day he stepped
into my classroom, I disliked Teddy. Teachers (although everyone knows differently) are not
supposed to have favorites in a class, but most especially are not supposed to show dislike for a
child, any child. Nevertheless, every year there are one or two children that one cannot help but
be attached to, for teachers are human, and it is human nature to like bright, pretty, intelligent
people, whether they are 10 years old or 25. And sometimes, not too often, fortunately, there will
be one or two students to whom the teacher just can't seem to relate.

I had thought myself quite capable of handling my personal feelings along that line until
Teddy walked into my life. There wasn't a child I particularly liked that year, but Teddy was most
assuredly one I disliked. He was dirty. Not just occasionally, but all the time. His hair hung low
over his ears, and he actually had to hold it out of his eyes as he wrote his papers in class. (And
this was before it was fashionable to do so!) Too, he had a peculiar odor about him which I could
never identify. His physical faults were many, and his intellect left a lot to be desired, also. By the
end of the first week I knew he was hopelessly behind the others. Not only was he behind; he was
just plain slow! I began to withdraw from him immediately.

Any teacher will tell you that it's more of a pleasure to teach a bright child. It is definitely
more rewarding for one's ego. But any teacher worth her credentials can channel work to the
bright child, keeping him challenged and learning, while she puts her major effort on the slower
ones. Any teacher can do this. Most teachers do it, but I didn't, not that year. In fact, I concentrated
on my best students and let the others follow along as best they could. Ashamed as I am to admit
it, I took perverse pleasure in using my red pen; and each time I came to Teddy's papers, the cross
marks (and they were many) were always a little larger and a little redder than necessary. "Poor
work!" I would write with a flourish.

While I did not actually ridicule the boy, my attitude was obviously quite apparent to the
class, for he quickly became the class "goat", the outcast the unlovable and the unloved. He knew
I didn't like him, but he didn't know why. Nor did I know then or now why I felt such an intense
dislike for him. All I know is that he was a little boy no one cared about, and I made no effort in
his behalf.

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The days rolled by. We made it through the Fall Festival and the Thanksgiving holidays,
and I continued marking happily with my red pen. As the Christmas holidays approached, I knew
that Teddy would never catch up in time to be promoted to the sixth grade level. He would be a
repeater. To justify myself, I went to his cumulative folder from time to time. He had very low
grades for the first four years, but not grade failure. How he had made it, I didn't know. I closed
my mind to personal remarks.

 First grade: Teddy shows promise by work and attitude, but has poor home situation.
 Second grade: Teddy could do better. Mother terminally ill. He receives little help at
home.
 Third grade: Teddy is a pleasant boy. Helpful, but too serious. Slow learner. Mother
passed away at end of year.
 Fourth grade: Very slow, but well-behaved. Father shows no interest.

Well, they passed him four times, but he will certainly repeat fifth grade! "Do him good!"
I said to myself.

And then the last day before the holiday arrived. Our little tree on the reading table
sported paper and popcorn chains. Many gifts were heaped underneath, waiting for the big
moment. Teachers always get several gifts at Christmas, but mine that year seemed bigger and
more elaborate than ever. There was not a student who had not brought me one. Each
unwrapping brought squeals of delight, and the proud giver would receive effusive thank-you's.

His gift wasn't the last one I picked up; in fact it was in the middle of the pile. Its wrapping
was a brown paper bag, and he had colored Christmas trees and red bells all over it. It was stuck
together with masking tape. "For Miss Thompson from Teddy" it read. The group was completely
silent, and for the first time, I felt conspicuous, embarrassed because they all stood watching me
unwrap that gift. As I removed the last bit of masking tape, two items fell to my desk; a gaudy
rhinestone bracelet with several stones missing and a small bottle of dimestore cologne half
empty. I could hear the snickers and whispers, and I wasn't sure I could look at Teddy. "Isn't this
lovely?" I asked, placing the bracelet on my wrist. "Teddy, would you help me fasten it?" He smiled
shyly as he fixed the clasp, and I held up my wrist for all of them to admire. There were a few
hesitant oohs and aahs, but as I dabbed the cologne behind my ears, all the little girls lined up for
a dab behind their ears. I continued to open the gifts until I reached the bottom of the pile. We ate
our refreshments and the bell rang. The children filed out with shouts of "See you next year!" and
"Merry Christmas!" but Teddy waited at his desk.

When they had all left, he walked toward me, clutching his gift and books to his chest. "You
smell just like Mom," he said softly. "Her bracelet looks real pretty on you, too. I'm glad you liked
it." He left quickly. I locked the door, sat down at my desk, and wept, resolving to make up to
Teddy what I had deliberately deprived him of a teacher who cared.

I stayed every afternoon with Teddy from the end of the Christmas holidays until the last
day of school. Sometimes we worked together. Sometimes he worked alone while I drew up
lesson plans or graded papers. Slowly but surely he caught up with the rest of the class. Gradually,
there was a definite upward curve in his grades. He did not have to repeat the fifth grade. In fact,
his final averages were among the highest in the class, and although I knew he would be moving
out of the state when school was out, I was not worried for him. Teddy had reached a level that
would stand him in good stead the following year, no matter where he went. He enjoyed a
measure of success, and as we were taught in our teacher training courses, "Success builds
success."

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I did not hear from Teddy until seven years later, when his first letter appeared in my
mailbox:

Dear Miss Thompson,

I just wanted you to be the first to know, I will be graduating second in my class next month.

Very Truly Yours,

Teddy Stallard
I sent him a card of congratulations and a small package, a pen and pencil gift set. I
wondered what he would do after graduation.

Four years later, Teddy’s second letter came.

Dear Miss Thompson,

I wanted you to be the first to know. I was just informed that I’ll be graduating first in my class. The
university has not been easy, but I like it.

Very Truly Yours,

Teddy Stallard

I sent him a good pair of sterling silver monogrammed cuff links and a card, so proud of
him I could burst!

And now today Teddy’s third letter.

Dear Miss Thompson,

I wanted you to be the first to know. As of today I am Theodore Stallard, M.D. How about that!!??
I’m going to be married in July, the 27th, to be exact. I wanted to ask if you could come and sit where
Mom would sit if she were here. I’ll have no family there as Dad died last year.

Very Truly Yours,

Teddy Stallard

I’m not sure what kind of a gift one sends to a doctor on completion of medical school and
state boards. Maybe I’ll just wait and take a wedding gift, but a note can’t wait.

Dear Ted,

Congratulations! You made it, and you did it yourself! In spite of those like me and not because of us,
this day has come for you.

God bless you.

I’ll be at the wedding with bells on!

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ANALYSIS

1. What do you like most in the story? Why?

2. Do you know of a student who is similarly situated as “Teddy”?
3. Did you ever have a “Ms. Thompson” in your life?
4. Any lesson learned?

ABSTRACTION
The story of Teddy must be touched you a lot. I have seen it and presented it audiences of
teachers a number of times and it has always touched me. Let us remember that there are a lot of
Teddy's in our classes but there may be just a few Miss Thompson’s in the classrooms. The like of
Miss Thompson as a teacher is said to be an endangered, disappearing species. Hopefully the story
touched you so much that starting from now you vowed to be like Miss Thompson to other
students in the future and so the like of Miss Thompson multiplies.

Convinced of the nobility of the teaching profession, Henry Adams also said, “A teacher
affects eternity. No one knows where his influence stops.”

John Steinbeck, Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, claims “Teaching
might even be the greatest of the arts, since the medium is the human mind and spirit. While the
artist works on the canvas, the teacher works on the human mind and heart.”

The greatest men and women in history where teachers - Socrates, Plato, Aristotle,
Confucius, loud, Lao Tzu, Siddhartha, Gautama, Jesus Christ. Their teachings have transformed the
individual and collective lives of their followers and their worlds. Their teachings reverberate up
to the present.

An old anecdote about teaching and teacher may convince you more and that you are
preparing for a profession which is the noblest of all professions. It is considered the mother of
all professions. Teachers have a special place in heaven. Agree or disagree? Read Their Special
Place in Heaven lifted from Teacher: A tribute to Teachers Everywhere published by the
Technological Institute of the Philippines on the occasion of its 50th foundation anniversary. This
is an old story told again and again, but let me share it with you anyway.
Their Special Place in Heaven
By: Cynthia Ferrer Gubler
At the gates of Heaven, Saint Peter stood resplendent, holding the keys to heaven. Before him
snaked a very long line of people eager to pass through the portals of Heaven.

Saint Peter asked the man at the head of the line a simple question, “Why, dear Sir, should I
let you enter heaven?” The man replied, “I am a doctor in my lifetime. I saved lives, cured the sick
and gave them and their families a better quality of life.”
To which Saint Peter commented: “Remarkable you may enter through the gates of Paradise
and enjoy your rightful place.”
Next in line was a woman dressed in a no nonsense business suit. Saint Peter ask her the
same, “Why should I let you enter heaven, dear woman?” And she replied, “I’m an entrepreneur. I
gave people decent jobs, paid them well enough for them to feed, clothe, shelter and afford their
families the necessities of life.”

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“Ah,” said Saint Peter. “Indeed, that is remarkable as well. But of course you may enter
heaven.”
A young man in uniform stepped upon faced Saint Peter and to the same question he
responded, “I am a policeman in my lifetime. I came to the succor of the citizenry, protected it against
criminals, so plagued the streets down on Earth.”

Saint Peter was impressed and gave the young man a pass to enter through the gates of
Heaven.
Soon it was the turn of a dignified elderly man who did not wait for Saint Peter to pose him
the question, and offered his reason: “I am a lawmaker. I crafted laws and policies for the benefit of
all the stakeholders of society, prescribing their rights and violations, thereof.”

Impressed with the lawmakers credentials. Saint Peter let him through, without any
hesitation.

Fast on the heels of the lawmaker, a young woman, austerely dressed, came up front. “Tell
me young lady, why should I let you in?”, Saint Peter asked. She replied, “I am a lawyer, Saint Peter.
To the best of my abilities, I defended the rights of the victims and at times the rights of the accused,
such as vigorously.”
“Commendable!” roared Saint Peter in delight.
Saint Peter now face a middle aged man with the rimmed glasses. The man had heard the
question that Saint Peter had posed those ahead of him, and he had a ready answer, “I am a scientist
dear Saint Peter. I helped unlock the secrets of life and the secrets of the fields: Research Technology,
Communications Medicine, Transportation, Galactic Travel, among others. And in doing to, I assure
you, I never lost my awe and wonder of the Creator of such majesty and grandeur as the universe.”

Saint Peter could not contain his delight, and permitted the man to enter heaven.
In stark contrast to the scientists who left, a tall, dignified man in a well-cut Italian suit and
handmade silk tie stepped up in front of the line. My dear man, Saint Peter said, feeling more
loquacious. “You must agree that I did well, letting the scientist into Heaven. Pray, tell me, why I
should let you through the gates of Heaven: And to this the man replied, I am a diplomat. With all
my God given skills very hard to eradicate the scourge of war that has visited peoples time and time
again and devastated scores and scores of generations to the human race.”

“But of course, a peacemaker,” Saint Peter murmured appreciatively. “Do take your place in
heaven as promised to peacemakers.”
This line of questioning continued down the line of souls stood before Saint Peter, eager to
disclose to him their rights to enter Heaven. Farmer architect, fisherman, engineer, bus driver,
household help, actor, comedian, banker, parent, computer analyst, financier, politician, chief
executive officer, country president, chef.
Finally, the last person in the line stood before Saint Peter. It had been a long day and he was
pleased that he did not have to turn anyone away. He looked at the simple woman before him and
asked the same question for the last time that day. “My dear lady, thank you so much for waiting so
patiently for your turn. Now, tell me, why should I let you into heaven?

And the elderly woman responded without rancor or recriminations of being heard last:
“Dear Saint Peter, this is why you should let me through the gate into heaven. Those people who
entered ahead of me, they became who they were because of me.”

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In a mixture of Pride and humility, she continued. “I am their teacher.”

Saint Peter silently nodded, breaking into a smile. His job for the day had ended. He locked
the gates of Heaven only after the teacher stepped in for her just deserved reward.

Indeed, a teacher is powerful. You are in a very noble profession where you help others
become what they want to be. You are in a profession where you can touch lives and so affect
eternity. In the United States of America, the Global Financial Institution conducted a survey in
2010 in conjunction with the National Teacher of the Year Award. A significant finding was: 88%
of 1000 Americans age 18 and older who were surveyed, identified at least one teacher who had
a significant positive impact on their life.
A teacher has the power to touch lives and make a difference in people’s lives. “The
influence of a good teacher can never be erased”, says one quotable quote. Just remember the
moving story of Teddy and Miss Thompson. May you be a Miss Thompson to older students in the
future. If you do that, you prove to the world that teaching indeed is a noble profession.

Congratulations, you choose the noblest of all professions. May you find fulfillment in your
profession!

APPLICATION

1. Complete the statement:

I am convinced that I have chosen the noblest profession because
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________and
so I commit, therefore _______________________________________________________________________________.

2. Read the quote found beneath the title of this Lesson and in a sentence or two connect it to
teaching as the noblest profession.

3. Make your own quotable quote on teaching as the noblest profession.

CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING

1. Henry Adams said: “A teacher affects eternity; no one knows where his influence stops.”
What does this quotation imply?
a. A teacher has power to influence generations.
b. A teacher lives long because he enjoys influencing his students.
c. A teacher is eternity; there is no end to it for as long as there are children.
d. A teacher is so powerful that he cannot help but influence learners.

2. William Garr said: “People who introduce themselves with the same remark that they are
“just teachers” gives me despair in my heart.” Based on this quote, how does William Garr
want teachers to behave?
a. Give up teaching.
b. Look everyone squarely in the eye and say “I am a teacher.”
c. Compare Teacher with the other professions.
d. Work for selective admission of candidates to the teaching.

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