If You Can Read This, Thank A Teacher

Submitted by Susannah Fowler on Tue, 31/08/2010 - 6:27pm

I found this on a website and thought it apt to share.  I like it because it gets to the guts of what teaching is about and is something that many people who are not teachers could not understand.  It involves a group of people sitting around the dinner table…….

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 mean, you¹re a teacher, Taylor," he says. "Be honest. What do you make?"
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 (use your imagination here).
Let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true:
I make a difference! What about you?