"What Teachers Make" by Taylor Mali

This is related to my last post "Give your teacher some credit".

I recently posted a short story I found on an old classmate's blog. It was a short story on a teacher.

I was just informed by my buddy, Marlowe, that the story is actually a spoken word piece taken into a different context.

The original piece is actually quite famous. It is by Taylor Mali. I wanted to give him the credit he deserves for such a wonderful piece. It can be found on his CD, Conviction.

You can also find the real text version on his website. Click here.

I like this version a lot more. It reaches out to me more (especially the language). It doesn't hold back.

It also turns out that Taylor Mali was on the same Slam Team as Sage Francis. He is an actual school teacher.

With all this combined...

The piece becomes even closer to my heart.

Thanks for the info Marlowe!

Check him out performing live. Seeing it with your own eyes and hearing it with your own ears makes the experience a lot better...

Give Your Teacher Some Credit

I recently came across a blog post by one of my old classmates at DLSU. Her name is Jane, and if I remember correctly, she was/is an education major.

She posted a short story entitled "What do teachers make?". I'm not sure who the author is.

It goes:

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 what they say about teachers: "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?"

Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began...) "Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor. I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without an IPod, Game Cube or movie rental...You want to know what I make?" (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table.)

I make kids wonder.

I make them question.

I make them criticize.

I make them apologize and mean it.

I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.

I teach them to write and then I make them write.

I make them read, read, read.

I make them show all their work in math.

I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity.

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

I make my students stand to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, because we live in the United States of America.

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

(Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.) "Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, 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.

What do you make?"

I think it's a very beautiful story and that it captures the sentiments of people who choose to stay in the field of education. A lot of good teachers don't get the respect they deserve. I said "good" because I'm not denying the existence of a lot of "bad" teachers out there.

Personally, I've gotten a lot of crap for choosing to teach. I don't think people realize enough the importance of those who choose to become teachers or professors. I remember at a dinner party my parent's friends asked what I was going to do with a Philosophy degree. I said I was planning to teach. They couldn't understand my choice or my answer because of the amount of money teachers make.

Teaching has always been a dream of mine (aside from many other things). When kids were playing doctor, I was playing teacher. I'm happy with my choices. I'm making some good money, not the most in the world, but good nonetheless.

At least I'm doing something that I love. I'm living a lot of my dreams. And instead of settling for a job that I don't enjoy and that eats my life away, I'm pursuing a life goal or purpose that is noble and helps society even a little bit.