Hey guys! I'd like to share this poem that i got from another class with everyone. This poem addresses many of the issues we have been discussing in class such as the article "Bitter Lessons" and gives great support to the teaching profession. I have also bolded some sentences that really got under my skin or sentences that made some very good points!! and was wondering how you guys felt about them.

What Teachers Makes

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

He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers: Those who can, do. Those who can't, Teach." To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?"

Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "you want to know what i make? (she paused for a second, then began...) "Well i make kids work harder than they ever though they could. I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor. I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental...

"You want to know what i make?" ( She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table.)

I make kids wonder
I make them question
I make them criticrize
I make them apologize and mean it
I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.
I teach them to write and then i make them write.
I make them read, read, read.
I make them show all their work in math
I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity.
I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.
I make my students stand to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, because we live in the United States of America.
Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life.

(Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.) "Then, when people try to judge me by what i make, i can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant...You want to know what i make?

I make a Difference. what do you make?

"Teachers make every other profession"

It is so sad that in our country teaching is one of the lesser valued professions, while, indeed, teachers make every other profession possible. The CEO in the poem most likely would not have been able to read if it hadn't been for a teacher who taught him how. Teaching is one of the hardest professions that exists, since it requires much more than 40 hours a week, constant energy, and an endless flow of creative ideas. I think it would be interesting to see if the CEO could handle a single day of teaching!

Yes we will be living below the poverty line so to speak when we enter our first year teaching jobs. Something that I've had trouble with lately is that it is hard to not be defensive when people talk about their problems with education. I want to say to these people, oh yeah? Well lets see you do it! ... or something along these lines. I try very hard to discourage myself from having this attitude because I think it is one that leads to teacher burnout (fantastic, I think, I'm only in Block I in college and I'm already hitting burnout?) Seriously though, teachers and future teachers can easily find themselves defensive and instead of being such, I think it is more constructive to be understanding yet know your ideals and why you are in the field, as the teacher above obviously does. If this doesn't work, go pick up a copy of chicken soup for the teacher's soul.

I think that so often people forget that teachers are the ones who make is possible for people to have professions. It takes people Bonnie to share with others what impact teachers are really having. Teachers make a difference. What other profession can one really have this strong of an impact on. I think that if more people talked and showed off what it is that teacher do, then maybe less negative comments will be made. Teaching is one of the hardest jobs. Thats why it takes a stong passionate person to teach.

Wow -- I really enjoyed that poem! Yes, the teaching profession will not allow us to make that much money but, who cares? I know that our whole lives are driven by how much money we make in life but, I would much rather be making a difference in my students lives than anything else. I agree with Meredith -- " teaching is one of the hardest jobs." -- It is going to take ALOT of time and effort to become a great teacher. The outcomes will make it all worth while, I do believe. Teaching is like taking a grand adventure every day -- yes, some adventures can end up leaving you disappointed but, some can blow your mind. I mean... who doesn't want to take an adventure everyday?

I actually think that this poem is more empowering than discouraging. I look at the list of things that this teacher says she does and I think...yeah, this is what I want to do! I want to have that kind of impact on my students. I have to agree with Mary, we can't dwell on the fact that we will be underpaid because it will burn you out. We will be making a difference in our students life. It sucks that people don't recognize how important our job is, but we know that the CEO would not be where he is without his teachers.

I was in one of my classes last night and we were talking about social classes and society. My professor made the point that a family that makes $50,000 a year will just be as happy as more than that. This has actually been tested. More money does not make you any happier, as long as you can live comfortably that is all you need to make you happy. Also those who are making 200-250,000 have a higher rate of sucide and depression because money can not make them happy. So where I am getting with this is that, yeah teachers don't make much money but we will be happy with what we are doing.

"Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach."
i personally hate this quote. It just kinda makes me mad (thats not really a mad face but whateva). So anywho, I just get irritated hearing ignorant things being said about teachers. Just because you’re the most knowledgeable on a topic or subject doesn’t mean you’d be able to teach it the best. My high school physics teacher was a supposed genius, but he was quite possibly the worst teacher to grace the earth. I believe teachers have to be more knowledgeable and skillful because they have to take abstract concepts and convey them in ways so all people can learn. Some people in this country wonder why our students are so far behind in test scores and comparisons with other countries, but I’m not really surprised. Yes, there are a lot of other factors involved in testing that go past the numbers, but I just believe that we don’t value teachers and education as much as we should. The poem was neat.