Girl Despises New Teacher for Giving Her Bad Grades, Calls Him ‘’My Second Dad’’ Years Later — Story of the Day

A teen girl despises her new righteous teacher, who doesn't give her straight As on her class assignments or fall for her tricks, but years later, she realizes he had taught her so much in life that he was no less than a "second dad" to her.

Isabelle always got what she wanted. She was the prettiest cheerleader at school, with a long line of boys waiting to date her; she was extra sweet with the teachers in order to persuade them to give her good grades, and she wanted to be a part of the "cool" girls club at school.

Those girls' daddies were wealthy businessmen, lawyers, and politicians. They had power and money, and Isabelle wanted to be as cool as them, as rich and powerful as them.

So one day, the 16-year-old told her parents she wanted a new car.

"Dad, please?" she said. "All the kids... nobody walks to school! That's just so poor! We have a good life. You make good money... Why not get me a car?"

"Darling," her father said. "Your school is only a short walk away. Besides, I think you're too young for a car."

"DAD!" protested Isabelle. "No, I'm not! I mean, all those rich girls..." and then she trailed off.

"All those rich girls?" asked her father.

A good teacher can change everything.

"Ok fine... I just want a car because I wanna be friends with them, Dad. Like, they're literally the most famous peeps at school, and I deserve to have them as friends... I want to be one of them, and I'm not asking for much."

Isabelle's dad sighed. "Honey, I don't think you're ready for a car yet. Ask your mother. And let me tell you, these friendships don't last long."

"Mom! Come on!" said Isabelle. "I always get decent grades, and I'm good at sports. I deserve to get a car, Mom!"

Isabelle's mother was also opposed to getting her a car because she knew how reckless kids could be when it came to driving. But she didn't say "no" outright.

"All right, let's do it this way," she said. "How about you get good grades this year? Maybe we can think about it then?"

"Promise?" asked Isabelle. "Do you promise that?"

"I guess, honey," said her mother, and her father nodded reluctantly.

So Isabelle needed good grades. Only then would she be able to get that car and be friends with the "cool" girls at school.

"It's going to be a cakewalk," she thought. "Perfect!"

Isabelle spent hours that night selecting the car she wanted. She looked up driving schools near her house and how long it would take her to get a license.

A few easy good grades were all it would take, she thought. She knew she would get them. She always did. All the teachers knew her well. They loved her.

But one day, Isabelle learned there was a new teacher, Mr. Barton, who would soon start teaching them. He was a hard nut to crack, and he had joined the school after one of their teachers resigned.

As per the students, Mr. Barton was strict, very strict, and he didn't give good grades easily. That was clear to everyone, especially after the first assignment.

Nobody in class could get above a B, and Isabelle got a C on her assignment. That freaked her out and angered her.

"Mr. Barton!" Isabelle approached him as everyone left their class. "A C? Really? I deserve better."

The older man smiled. "Do you, Ms. Fisher?" he asked. "I think I've been very fair. I could have given a D... But I was generous. C is the max you get when you've copied half the assignments from your friends... Some of them had a D."

Isabelle flushed. "You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"

"Well, yes, I have a purpose. I want my students to do better in academics and life."

"Ok, so you are really what they say! A nutcase!" said Isabelle rudely. " You should quit the job or... how about we just settle this?"

"You're a little too rude for your own good," he said. "And how do you SETTLE this, Ms. Fisher?" asked Mr. Barton curiously.

Isabelle took out a couple of dollar bills from her backpack and slid them across Mr. Barton's table. "How about you just accept this and let me have the grades I want? See, I know teachers don't get paid very well these days. Isn't this a brilliant idea to fix our problem?"

"Fix OUR problem?" asked Mr. Barton calmly. "Well, I will accept it, Ms. Fisher, but..."

"I knew it!" She smirked.

"If you want private lessons," continued Mr. Barton, "I also offer private tuition to struggling students, and I'll have to discuss this with your parents. You're still young, miss. You need to focus on your life. I don't want to demean my students by giving them bad grades. I want them to be better, and I know you can be better, Ms. Fisher!"

Isabelle was furious. Mr. Barton's righteous demeanor pissed her off. She decided she'll work hard on her own and get good grades. She wasn't a terrible student. She only needed to work hard for a few months until the end of the school year, and she'd have the car.

But Isabelle couldn't do it on her own. Mr. Barton's assignments were tough. They needed more studying than she'd ever done. So her grades kept declining, and eventually, she had to ask Mr. Barton for help.

Mr. Barton was more than happy to guide the girl. He tutored Isabelle, and with his help, she got good grades. But by the end of the school year, she didn't want the car anymore. She wanted to make a name for herself and be a better version of herself, as Mr. Barton had taught her.

"Knowledge isn't limited to books," he would say. "We grow every day. We learn from the things around us to become a better version of ourselves. And yes, it's important to be true to yourself. It's important to ask yourself what you want, without worrying about what others would think of you…"

***

Years passed, and an old Mr. Barton never forgot Isabelle Fisher. Sometimes, he wondered how naive she was to bribe him for grades. Then one day, he received an invite, a strange one.

"We cordially invite you to the gala dinner..."

Mr. Barton was surprised, but he smiled and cried a little. His most notorious pupil hadn't forgotten him.

On the big day, Mr. Barton dressed in a fancy suit and arrived at the venue. He took a seat and smiled proudly as he saw her. Isabelle. She noticed him in the crowd, too, and smiled.

"Everyone," she said, taking the mic and addressing the crowd. "Today is a very special day. While I am honored to be recognized as the best businesswoman of the year, none of this would have been possible without the help of my second dad. He's the one who taught me life was more than books and learning from books. He inspired me to be a better version of myself," she added, walking up to Mr. Barton and escorting him to the stage. "He's the man who deserves this appreciation. He was no less than a second dad to me..."

At that point, Isabelle displayed the exam sheet on which she had received an A from Mr. Barton. She had saved it all her life. And the proud teacher was in tears as he saw that.

"I have only one thing to say," he expressed, brushing his tears away. "I always knew you could do it, Ms. Fisher. I knew you could do it! I knew you could be better!"

What can we learn from this story?

• Success comes to those who work hard. After crossing paths with a teacher like Mr. Barton, who valued education, Isabelle learned the importance of working hard and becoming a better version of herself.
• A good teacher can change everything. Mr. Barton's righteous principles transformed the spoiled, reckless Isabelle into a successful and humble human being.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a teacher who saw her orphaned pupil sharing lunch with a homeless man, only to learn later that the shabby man was the child's father.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.