What do you make?

 Adapted from a poem by Taylor Mali

and shared by Pathlight School

What Teachers Make

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. 

One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. 

He argued: "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

He reminded the other dinner guests that it's true what they say about teachers: 

"Those who can...do.

Those who can't ... teach."

To corroborate, he said to another guest: "You're a teacher, Susan," he said. 

"Be honest. What do you make?"

Susan, who had a reputation of honesty and frankness, replied, 

"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 Honor and an A- feel like a slap in the face if the student did not do his or her very best."

"I can make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 minutes without an I-pod or movie rental."

"I can make parents tremble in fear when I call home"

"You want to know what I make?"

"I make kids wonder."

"I make them question."

"I make them criticize."

"I make them apologize and mean it."

"I make them write."

"I make them read, read, read."

"I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, and definitely beautiful over and 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 hide it all on their final drafts in English."

"I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe."

"I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life."

"Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant."

"You want to know what I make?"

"I make a difference."

"And you? What do you make?"

Share this with every teacher whom you know and respect.

Happy Teachers' Day! =)