The importance of giving thanks to a great teacher should never be underestimated. With school out for the summer, now is a good time to pay tribute to teachers who continue to make a difference in all of us. The following story has made the rounds since 1999. I've included what the author, Taylor Mali, has to say about it at the end of his story.
It's easy to make a buck. It's a lot tougher to make a difference. ~Tom Brokaw
A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others. ~Author Unknown
The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. ~William A. Ward
Many thanks to those who inspire!
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"What Teachers Make"
By Taylor Mali
During a dinner party, a self-important business executive said, “The problem with our education system starts with teachers. What can our kids learn from people who decided their best option in life was to become a teacher? Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.”
A guest protested, “I’ve been a teacher for 20 years, and that’s simplistic and unfair.”
“Really?” the executive said. “Then be honest, what do you make?”
“I suppose you’re thinking of money,” the teacher replied. “I earn enough, but let me tell you what I make.
“I make other people’s children read, think, write, wonder, and talk about important things such as the world and their role in it.
“I make them appreciate the value of education, not simply as a way to make a living, but as a way to make a life.
“I make them work harder than they want to and accomplish more than they thought possible.
“I encourage them to be skeptical without being cynical and optimistic without being naïve.
“I make them understand that the quality of their life will be determined by their choices, and I make them take responsibility for their actions.
“I make them feel proud, capable, and worthy when they try hard.
“I make them appreciate the importance of integrity and honor in a world that too often shows little regard for either.
“I make them respect themselves and treat others with respect.
“I make them feel proud and grateful to live in America where people are entitled to be treated fairly and with respect and judged by their accomplishments and character, not by their color, creed, or size of their bank account.
"Most of all, I make a difference."
“So now,” the teacher said to the executive,” tell us what you make?”
"I am well aware that 'What Teachers Make,' a poem I wrote in 1999, has been elevated/reduced to the level of Inspirational Cyber Spam. It started happening shortly after I posted an unattributed draft of the poem on this very website.
"Since the poem appeared on my website, I figured my name was unnecessary. But I was wrong. I suspect the text of the poem got copied, pasted, and sent by well-meaning teachers and fans. Soon enough, the poem became anonymous, and people began to edit, alter, and 'sanitize' it. There are, to my knowledge, at least five different versions of the poem out there circulating. All of them are anonymous.
"The poem has taken on a life of its own. Thomas Friedman, the New York Times columnist, quoted one of the anonymous versions in its entirety as part of his Yale graduation speech in 2003. This led to a quotation by Harvey Mackay, the syndicated business columnist. National Public Radio did a story about the adventures of the poem in 2004.
"Am I disappointed not to have received credit for writing this poem that has inspired so many? Used to be. But the truth will always come out in the end. And if I had to choose between inspiring teachers anonymously or not inspiring them at all, I would choose anonymous inspiration every time."
Mr. Mali is not only a gifted poet and philosopher (as well as a great advocate of teachers), he is a generous man with sound values about the importance of getting credit.
Visit his website at: http://www.taylormali.com
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