a story
retold from Taylor Mali by Alan Emrich
As
we sat
around the dinner table discussing our education system, our friend's
guest committed an unpardonable faux pas. He asked rhetorically,
"What can a kid really learn from someone who decided their best option
in life was to become a teacher?" Adding that it's true what they say
about teachers: "Those who can, do; those who can't, teach."
Since we're eating and
this is polite company, I keep my thoughts to myself, but he goes on
with "I mean,
you're a teacher, Alan. Be honest, what do you make?"
Now he'd done it. He compounded his first mistake (mouthing off) with a
second (bringing me into the conversation and, worse, asking me to be
honest). Since he honestly deserved to have his head handed back
to him on this subject, I let him have it as I went down the list:
"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.
-
And how dare you waste my time with anything
less than your very best?
-
I make parents tremble in fear when I call home:
"Hello, this is Rick's teacher from school. I hope I haven't called
at a bad time; I just wanted to talk to you about something he said
today. Rick said, "Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don't
you?" and it was one of the most noble acts of courage I have ever
seen."
-
I make parents see their children for who they are
and what they can be.
"You
want to know what I make?"
-
I make growing minds wonder; I make them question; I
make them criticize.
-
I make them apologize and mean it.
-
I make them write.
-
And 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 then
hide it on their final drafts in English.
-
I make them understand that if you have brains then
you follow your heart and if someone ever tries to judge you by what
you make (like some people), you pay them no attention.
"Let me break it down for you, so you know what I'm saying is true: I
make the difference in the lives of hundreds of young people. So what
about you? What do you make |