1. Makea DifferenceMovie
The first time I watched the movie "Make a Difference, I was
moved to the point of crying. Even when you asked us to re-
vision it for the second time with some questions to focus on,
there were still some passages that occasioned deep, within me,
a strong feeling of empathy and compassion. For a moment I
had a sort of flash back; I had a friend long time ago, who was
an orphan, and lacked the tenderness and affection of parents,
and mainly that of the mother. Yet, she was lucky to have the
attention and support from our teachers. In feasts and celebration
as "El Aid", they used to collect money and buy her clothes.
My father, who is now a retired teacher, used likewise to help
the destitute among his students. He used to collected money
with the contribution of his colleagues and bought school
belongings to those students.
The story of that little boy (Teddy) really broke my heart.
There is one special sentence that caused an earthquake deep
inside me; it is when Teddy said," you smell just like my mom
used to at Christmas". I pictured what my life would have been
like if the same misfortune had occurred to me; lonely,
neglected, lacking maternal affection and care, but above all
feeling that no body seems to care about your grieves and agony,
not even the teacher. In addition to feeling some empathy
towards that little boy, I likewise put myself in the place of the
teacher, and imagined how remorse and regret would gnaw me
at my soul if, as she did , I discovered the carelessness and
apathy I have been guilty of. However, what truly touched me is

2. the fact that that teacher was good and human enough to react
and completely changed the ideal she had about teaching, as said
in the movie, "she stopped teaching, reading and writing ...,and
started to teach children". She was such intense and emotional
that Teddy regarded her as the best teacher he'd ever had. More
than the teacher; she procured him the tenderness and care that
are so vital for his development and that his mother would have
procured him if she had been alive.
As a student-teacher, this movie introduced me with a core
principle in the art of teaching; that of never forgetting about
one's feelings and heart and always keep them as reminders to
the mechanical mind…
Benyoucef
Radia
I Likethe Movie
I really like this story and I also think that it has touched
many students who have watching it for many reasons:
First, it goes straight to our hearts. Second, maybe because
it reminds us of all the special persons who have made a
difference in our lives. More than this, it teaches us how
we can transcend the need to use force to counter
unacceptable behaviour and this was a universal message
especially for future teachers.
At the beginning of the story, Miss Thompson didn't
help Teddy but when she understood the reasons

3. of Teddy's behavior, she decided to change the life of
this child by making him feel important (the power of
compassion to change life).
The sentences that affect me:
Teddy said, "Thank you for believing in me, thank you so
much for making me feel important and showing me that I could
make a difference."
Miss Thompson, " I didn't know how to teach until I met
you!"
Taibi Karima
.
Teddy's Story
I just wanted to say that the story was beautiful and
inspiring that really touched me. I learnt that each one of us can
make a difference in someone’s life, because we all have the
power to affect the others.
The teachers play a major role in the development of the
students and the society. Students consider their educators as
mirrors or images that they would be one day.
This story makes you realize that children are special and make
you think about what the children want from the elders, and that

4. they are always watching what the other people are doing.
Teddy was a special learner that unfortunately Ms. Thompson
did not understand at the beginning and she prejudged him.
Maybe because of his appearance, unknowing his situation, she
treated him with neglect, although that she said: “I will love you
all». But the point of change comes when she examined the
notices of his previous teachers; she realized that Teddy was a
brilliant kid suffering because of his mother’s absence. Then she
started caring and Teddy at the same time exploded his
potentials and began ‘walking on the road’ of success.
At the end of the story we see how one teacher can make a
difference. Although the years had passed, they did not forget
each other. There was a mutual exchange of feelings and great
respect and trust.
I understand that just one friendly look at someone can make a
difference in his life.
Finally, everyone is someone’s hero, and everybody has
ahero. Each day we learn and teach one another whether this be
in a classroom, at work or at home, no matter where, there are
always lessons to be learnt and practised. And I believe we all
must well behave, because there is someone out there watching
us, and consider me or you the one that he/she wanted to be
someday.
Charef Abousoufiane
A Deep Feeling Insideme.

5. While I was watching the movie and for the first time, I felt
that something really touched my heart and left a deep impact
inside me, especially with regard to negligence and the
carelessness of the teacher towards her student's problems.
Moreover, the loss of one parent is a very hard and difficult
situation. The most important point that I learned is to treat and
deal with students as human beings with their feelings and
emotions and no more than that.
The sentence that strongly affected me is, and without
hesitation, I immediately chose the following: "Thank you for
believing in me". I think when you believe in someone's
capacities, you will give him/her courage and willing, and even
a new life to start again from nothing. Hence, you will simply
become her/his hero. So he/she will never forget you and will
consider you as an ‘engine’ for his/her continuation. finally, for
me my hero is my parents and I love them so much!
lakehal noura
HelpingEach Other
This story ‘Make a Difference’ gives us a message of how to
help each other.
Miss Thomson changes life of Teddy in a positive way. On
the other hand, Teddy helps her to be a real teacher.
It's like a piece of advice for us because sometimes, we lose
control and we see everything dark in our life.

6. Sometimes, we need someone to help us and when you help,
you feel that you help yourself.
Sometimes, small things that we don’t give importance may
change our life.
Meghiche Zohra
Students'SchoolFiles
I deduce from « Make a Differece » how it is important for a
teacher to search the origin of failure of his students in class. If
Mrs Thomson had not rreviewed Teddy’s school file, she would
not have noticed that he was a brilliant student before.
I wonder if our teachers are allowed to review their students'
school files in primary, secondary and high school. Otherwise, I
propose that at the begining of the school year teachers should
spot orphans and children with social problems in the class in
order to help them sooner.
Thanks a lot for this interisting pedagogical story.
Benabdelmoumene Abdelkader
Knowledgeis notEnough!
No one can doubt the greatness, the nobility, and the
goodness of teaching profession. Yet, again, it's not enough to
do well, once must do it in the right way. The truth of the matter
seems to be that wise men who learn from other people

7. mistakes, the fools by their own. Here is Mrs. Thomson’s
experience to learn from...........
I strongly believe that the interaction between a student and
his/her teacher, and the teacher’s own values have a greater part
in making the most effective andsuccessful teacher. Knowledge
of the subject material is very important, but what makes a
successful class different than a failure, uneffective class is how
the teacher is viewed by his or her students; the way she/he acts
on the stage is the key of the matter.
Teachers need to make sure that they possess skills such as
patience, sympathy, and respect to each and every one of their
students. In return, students will generally do the same, which
makes school enjoyable and more effective for both
Yes it's proved in the Teddy and Mrs Thomson tale.
Madjid Bensalem
AmazingTEFL
I have never been attracted by teaching.TEFL module was, for
me, a waste of time. Why studying about something Iwon't do in
the future?
The different lectures I have had so far, made me change my
mind. Today, 'Make a Difference' movie makes me feel
something I can't explain! Something inside me! I even cried
without tears! My legs were shaking! What happened to me?

8. I remembered how sad I was in the middle and high school
and no teacher tried to help me. They didn't care of my situation.
I hated all teachers. I hated the profession.
I admire Mrs. Thompson in the movie, and what she did for
Teddy, but I admire you , sir, too for what you did with the
student who was ill. You discreetly took medicines from your
pocket and gave them to the student. Believe me, Sir, at that
moment I forgot about the movie because what you did in a very
simple way, 'makes a Difference'. I understand that teachers
care.
Teddy says, ' Thank you so much for believing in me.'
I would say, ' Thank you so much, Sir, for what you are doing
for us.'
Cherifa Benouda
Moved!
Thank you first for this interesting video; in fact, there are no
enough words to explain how this video affected me. This
maybe because of being a little bit sentimental; I was about to
cry for pain towards Teddy; unless of being afraid, to feel shame
by the presence of my colleagues.
But, regardless to the dramatic feeling, I found that there are
some beneficial lessons to pull out from this story, that could be
resumed in the following points:

9. 1- The fact that Mrs. Thompson decided to look out on the
past records of her students, is on my belief , the main fact of
Teddy’s delivery, and I think that such enterprise should be
systematic for every teacher after recording suspicious student's
behavior (if such files exist in Algeria).
2- To be patient and attentive on the social context of each
student.
3- Don't let the children laugh from each others because it
would create a kind of complex.
4- Consider and treat the students as human beings.
5- To focus the maximum of attention and efforts, on the
students that present some difficulties and weaknesses.
6- As this story proved at the end, 'we all can make the
difference by the choice we make.'
Lyes Mustapha Talbi
The PsychologicalSideof Teaching
The majority of teachers nowadays are not interested in the
psychological side of the students. Their main objective is to
give them courses and leave. I personally have got a negative

10. opinion on "teaching" I could not imagine that one day I could
become a teacher, but since I met you '"MR LOUZNADJI", my
idea has changed because you make this job such an "amazing"
job or in another term your style of teaching has got a
"psychological side" if I can say so. Before watching that movie
you have made a difference on me. What I have watched in that
movie really touched me since "Teddy" found in this teacher his
"mother"; the teacher that makes a difference in Teddy's life and
here the psychological role of the teacher takes a very important
part since the teacher was not only interested in teaching and
learning, but in what made this child misbehaved.
All in all, to make a difference in one's life is not easy and
not any one could make such thing. Only the patient and the idol
ones could.
Yagoub Chahinez Rimel
MaybeOne Day!
Well, Teddy story is an emotional and affective one; it shows
the impact of people on each other. The action taken by Miss
Thompson -which is not deliberate- while opening Teddy's
present has the great effect on Teddy. She made him feel
important and loved. Though she didn’t know that her few
simple words will change a whole life.
But not all of the favor for this, what helped Teddy to grow on
the right path and took by his hand toward the top is, on the
other hand, the special attention and the continuous
encouragement.

11. Teddy had also an impact on Miss Thompson's way of dealing
with children. She did review her past students' records, but she
didn't know how to deal with the students in need for help. She
didn't know how to teach as she said. The fact that she could
make flourish a desperate and sad pupil, caused her to see light,
and believed that she could make a difference in this world.
I didn't believe that I can make a tiny single difference in the
world around me. But now I do. May be one day I'll change
someone's life onto the best, as I hope, as I may have
already changed someone's life but I don't know!
A Student-Teacher
MissingAspects!
Frankly speaking before i thought that a successful teacher is
one who adopts interesting method of teaching. whose most
students obtain good results and one who knows how to manage
his classroom. And so I dreamt to be a teacher. However, once I
saw the movie 'Make a Difference', straight away, I recognized
that there are things missed in the picture of that successful
teacher being in my mind. There are totaly different things that
not all teachers provide to their students. constant teacher's smile
was missed, warm care to students was missed , showing that
each individual is important was missed, believing in the
student was missed. Now when adding these human touches, the
paint might be perfect.
Thank you Sir for teaching us all these in just one video . We
are grateful to you.

12. Kenza
Ilhem
A magicBox
I was preparing the first term exam one I receivedMrs Thompson ’s story. I
understood that our supervisor wanted to remind us of the value of the movie
we watched at the end of the last seminar.
That story marked all my teaching life as I read a book about it many years
ago. This is why; I have been too close to the poor students in my classes. I
don’t know why I have a particular attention to those students. I feel as if I
don’t do my job properly if I don’t ask them a question , if I don’t care…
This doesn’t mean that I neglectthe others. No, I never do that. The others
have another role to play in the classroom. I sometimes ask the rich ones to
bring clothes or help me buy things such schoolstuff for their mates in need.
I always try to create a kind of solidarity betweenmy students. I always teach,
in one way or another, how to help the other.
I remember, with my students, we had a box in which a student had to put 5
AD when he or she broke one of the schoolrules. That box which was shared
by six classes was keptby one student-volunteer. The collectedmoney was
given to the poor to help them buy things they need. One year, for example,
we could help three students to pay their Baccalaureate fees.
Some students, who are no longerat school, came to see me and reminded me
of the old charity moments they had in our school. Theytold me that I had
taught them more than English lessons.Theyare still doing the same thing.
And some of them, who are teachers now, are using that ’magic box’ to collect
money for the poor.
My advice to new teachers is that teaching is not only giving knowledge, it is
supporting, it is caring …

13. You know, my approach is more humanistic (you may not agree with me). I
have never changed. I keepon helping the poor. I feel that I am a TEACHER
when I do help the poor. I feelsad, ashamedand I even cry if I don’t support
them.
A teacherof English from Oran1
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