WHAT
DOES A TEACHER 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 for speaking with 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 study hall in absolute
silence."
"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
kids show all their work in math and hide it all on their final drafts in
English.”
"I
elevate them to experience music and art and the joy in performance, so
their lives are rich, full of kindness and culture, and they take pride in
themselves and their accomplishments."
"I
make them understand that if you have the brains, then follow your
heart... and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make --- pay
them no attention."
"You
want to know what I make?"
"I
make a difference."
"What
about you?"
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