What Teachers 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 to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

He reminded the other guests that it's true what they say about teacher: "Those who can do.  Those who can't, teach."

To corroborate, he said to another guest:  "You are a teacher, Susan," he said.  "Be honest.  What do you make?"

Susan, who had a reputation of honesty and frankness, replied, "You want to know what I make?"

"I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.  I 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 best."

"I can make kids sit thought 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 spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, and definitely beautiful over and over and over again until they will never misspell either of these words again."

"I make them show all their work in math and hid it all on their final drafts in English."

"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, you pay them no attention."

You want to know what I make?"

"I make a difference."

"Do you?"