Teachers
ray a
5,703 Posts
I got this from the blog of a teacher friend, it is an email that has probably circumnavigated the planet at least once. Even though it is about educators, we in business live with the results of the educational process. It is an interesting story.
[i]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, Susan, be honest, what do you make?”
Susan, who had a reputation for 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 the Congressional Medal of Honor.
I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall in absolute silence.
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 show all their work in math and perfect their final drafts in English. I make them understand that if you have the brains, and you follow your heart, and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, you must pay no attention because they just failed to learn.
Susan paused, and then continued. “You want to know what I make? I make a difference. What do you make?”[/i]
[i]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, Susan, be honest, what do you make?”
Susan, who had a reputation for 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 the Congressional Medal of Honor.
I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall in absolute silence.
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 show all their work in math and perfect their final drafts in English. I make them understand that if you have the brains, and you follow your heart, and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, you must pay no attention because they just failed to learn.
Susan paused, and then continued. “You want to know what I make? I make a difference. What do you make?”[/i]
Comments
I went to a public high school in Anaheim California called Loara High School. I had some of the finest teachers one could ever hope for. In fact, they rivaled those that I later had in college.
So, here's to you:
Mr. Barron (History, Mock Trial, my hero)
Mr. Dorosky (Government, took our class to Washington DC)
Mr. Douglas (English, taught us to respect great writing)
Mr. Klevos (English, had us listen to the Grand Canyon Suite in the dark)
Mrs. Herbert (History, took us to cathedrals in Los Angeles to study religion)
Mr. Schelske (wrote a bible verse on the blackboard each day)
Mrs. Wilkoff (took me aside and hugged me when I returned to school after losing my mom to cancer)
Mr. Cullinane (pulled me out of Saturday detention and let me help him grade papers)
Made a difference? You bet they did.
I've always admired teachers. They have such an enormous responsibility. It takes a special kind of person to be a good teacher.