What Teachers Make (excerpts)

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 dinner guests
that it's also true what they about lawyers.
Because we're eating, after all, and this is polite conversation.

I mean, you're a teacher, Taylor..
Be honest. What do you make?

And I wish he hadn't done that -- asked me to be honest --
because, you see, I have this policy about honesty and ass-kicking:
if you ask for it, then I have to let you have it.

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 read, read, 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've got this, 
then you follow this,
and if someone ever tries to judge you
by what you make, then give them this.
Here, let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true:
Teachers make a **** difference! Now what about you?

Taylor Mali, Teaching with Fire, edited by Sam M. Intrator and Megan Scribner (Jossey Bass, 2014)