I Make a Difference

11/08/2007

I’m going to post something for you, it has a video, but the words are what’s important.

He says the problem with teachers is, “What’s a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?”

He reminds the other dinner guests that it’s true what they say about teachers: That those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.

I decide to bite my tongue instead of his and resist the urge to remind the other dinner guests that it’s also true what they say about lawyers.

Because we’re eating, after all, and this is polite conversation.

“I mean, you’re a teacher, Taylor”
“Be honest. What do you make?”

And I wish he hadn’t done that
(asked me to be honest)
because, you see, I have a policy
about honesty and ass-kicking:
which is, if you ask for it, then I have to let you have it.

You want to know what I make?

I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional Medal of Honour
and I can make an A- feel like a slap in the face.
How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best.

You wanna know what I make?

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall in absolute silence.
No, you can not work in groups.
No, you can not ask a question, so put your hand down.
Why won’t I let you go to the bathroom?
Because you’re bored and you don’t really have to go, do you?

You wanna know what I make?

I make parents tremble in fear when I call home at around dinner time:
“Hi, This is Mr. Mali, I hope I haven’t called at a bad time, I just wanted to talk to you about something your son did today.
He said, “Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don’t you?”
And it was the noblest act of courage I have ever seen.

I make parents see their children for who they are and who they can be.

You want to know what I make?

I make kids question.
I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them write, write, write.
And then I make them read.
I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, definitely, beautiful over and over again until they will never misspell either one of those words again.
I make them show all their work in math.
And then hide it on their final drafts in English.
I make them realize that if you got this (brains).
Then you follow this (heart) and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, you give them this (the finger).

Let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true:
I make a difference! What about you?

And now, if you have a minute, here’s the source video with all the things it adds to the presentation: Taylor Mali on What Do Teachers Really Make?

There are 3 comments in this article:

  1. 11/08/2007Mujibar say:

    The poetry is very meaningful and true; the video is a bit retarded. But it’s true: teachers do play a huge role in the upbringing of our children. They deserve a bit more credit for all that they do.

  2. 11/08/2007Stella say:

    Bravo! We forget many things in life, but we always remember our best teachers because they helped us evolve. Sure, there are teachers who are burnt out (or never ignited to begin with, but the true teachers point us in the direction of… amazing and limitless horizons.

  3. 11/08/2007sanya say:

    “I make them realize that if you got this (brains).
    Then you follow this (heart) and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, you give them this (the finger).”

    that’s my favourite part.

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