What Teachers Make, Taylor Mali

[annainthebox.livejournal.com]

I really like this poem, especially the definitely beautiful part.

What Teachers Make
What Teachers Make, or
Objection Overruled, or
If things don't work out, you can always go to law school

By Taylor Mali
www.taylormali.com
He says the problem with teachers is, "What's a kid going to learn
from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"
He reminds the other dinner guests that it's true what they say about
teachers:
Those who can, do; those who can't, teach.
I decide to bite my tongue instead of his
and resist the temptation to remind the other dinner guests
that it's also true what they say about lawyers.
Because we're eating, after all, and this is polite company.
"I mean, you¹re a teacher, Taylor," he says.
"Be honest. What do you make?"
And I wish he hadn't done that
(asked me to be honest)
because, you see, I have a policy
about honesty and ass-kicking:
if you ask for it, I have to let you have it.
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.
How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best.
I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall
in absolute silence. No, you may not work in groups.
No, you may not ask a question.
Why won't I let you get a drink of water?
Because you're not thirsty, you're bored, that's why.
I make parents tremble in fear when I call home:
I hope I haven't called at a bad time,
I just wanted to talk to you about something Billy said today.
Billy said, "Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don't you?"
And it was the noblest act 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 kids wonder,
I make them question.
I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them write, write, write.
And then I make them read.
I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, 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 on their final drafts in English.
I make them understand that if you got this (brains)
then you follow this (heart) and if someone ever tries to judge you
by what you make, you give them this (the finger).
Let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true:
I make a goddamn difference! What about you?

Comments

[signsoflife.livejournal.com]

thank you for sharing this!

[centauri-.livejournal.com]

Definitely beautiful! :)

No really, this poem does something to me.
Even though I'm not a teacher...

[crimsnfirestorm.livejournal.com]

I really like this. Thanks!!

[silent-claws.livejournal.com]

<3. I remember teachers like this. I like the outrage.

[ravengirl.livejournal.com]

beautifully said
and wonderfully true.

[thenetwork.livejournal.com]

That's beautiful.

[spence137.livejournal.com]

I saw him preform this. Lots of energy.

[annainthebox.livejournal.com]

I'm en-route to teacher-dom, and I only hope I can be one of "those teachers."

[speckofinfinity.livejournal.com]

This is awesome! Thanks!

[zarahemla.livejournal.com]

YEAH

!!

[sliverofsanity.livejournal.com]

I want to be a teacher. I'm putting this is my memories.

[lilac-spring.livejournal.com]

Ohh, this is wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing it.

[miir.livejournal.com]

Oh man. Really like this.

Definitely beautiful!

[ginny-t.livejournal.com]

Wow. That's wonderful. Thank you.

[eviefencer.livejournal.com]

god, i love that poem. and my second year into teaching, i love it even more now...

[uninvited---.livejournal.com]

thank you for sharing such a beautiful poem! ♥

[timiathan.livejournal.com]

This is actually one of two poems by Mali that we're publishing in our tribute to slam issue this summer, along with an audio CD of those poems performed. (also includes people like Patricia Smith, Regie Gibson, Buddy Wakefield, etc...) Anyway: http://www.rattle.com/slam

[citizenwind.livejournal.com]

hey, what about me, fucker! :)

[timiathan.livejournal.com]

You haven't signed your contract or sent me your bio yet, bitch!

[epiclevelregina.livejournal.com]

There's a video of him performing this piece on YouTube, which makes the poem 10 times better. :)

[persephone-kore.livejournal.com]

Oh, nice. I especially like the bit about showing their work in math and hiding it in the final draft in English, and the twist where he's calling the parents about something good.

I know some lawyers I like, but they know better than to dismiss teachers, too. ;)

[pattanesca.livejournal.com]

I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional medal of honor
and an A- feel like a slap in the face.

i like this. thanks for sharing. i used to want to be a teacher myself, so i played pretend when i was younger. my "students" were my stuffed toys. haha.

[degram.livejournal.com]

i totally fell in heart with this when I first saw it performed (by the artist himself, of course-- whoever the heck he is, he KICKS ASS).

thanks for posting!!

[two-grey-rooms.livejournal.com]

This is absolutely beautiful. It made me really miss the English teacher I had last year.

[skyane.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I've seen it somewhere before (fairly recently) but it's a nice one. Teachers need encouragement. I don't always feel like my job IS worth it.

[latelyontime.livejournal.com]

awesome poem. thanks so much for sharing. I have always been extraordinarily lucky to find teachers who have made a difference. i think i am going to send it across to them.

[simpletwice.livejournal.com]

This is the best poem about teaching that I have ever read. I am not sure I would have believed it possible.