Teachers [[not really Detroit, but what the hay?)

**DetroitTeacher** · November-22-10, 04:48 PM

I know I'll get a lot of flack about this but I can't resist posting it anyway. It doesn't have much to do with Detroit, really, except that there are many teacher bashers here and I thought that maybe this might be an answer to the "teachers make so much money for doing nothing" discussions on here.

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

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 thought they could.
I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor winner.
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 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. Keyboarding isn't
everything.
I make them read, read, read.
I make them show all their work in math. They use their God given brain, not the man-made calculator.
I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know about English, while preserving their unique cultural identity.
I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.
I make my students stand, placing their hand over their heart to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, One Nation Under God, 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, with me knowing money isn't everything, 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, Mr. CEO?

His jaw dropped, he went silent.

bartock · November-22-10, 04:55 PM

All I could think of reading this is that the teacher probably didn't leave a very good tip.

**justanotherboy** · November-22-10, 05:33 PM

I wonder what percentage of Detroit teachers we could apply that poem too?

**stromberg2** · November-22-10, 05:37 PM

Well, one I know for sure, is DetroitTeacher.

Stromberg2

**Detroitnerd** · November-22-10, 05:37 PM

She makes me tired.

**NorthofNormal** · November-22-10, 05:40 PM

Actually, that's ripped off from slam poet/teacher Taylor Mali's rather famous routine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxsOVK4syxU

**Crumbled_pavement** · November-22-10, 05:57 PM

To all the good teachers out there that may feel under appreciated at times, thank you for continuing to do your job anyway. The true reward you receive is knowing that you did make a difference in someone's life and your contributions to society are immeasurable. I, as well as millions of Americans appreciate the hard work you put in even if we don't always say it.

THANK YOU!

**Downtown Lady** · November-22-10, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitTeacher

It doesn't have much to do with Detroit, really, except that there are many teacher bashers here and I thought that maybe this might be an answer to the "teachers make so much money for doing nothing" discussions on here.

As a daughter of a former teacher, I appreciate your post, knowing that my mom made a difference and also made very little money. But in all sincerity, in all the years I've been reading this forum, I can't recall seeing any posts that I would consider "teacher bashing", or posts claiming that "teachers make so much money for doing nothing."

**oldredfordette** · November-22-10, 07:26 PM

Read a little closer, Downtown Lady. The teacher bashing on this site is frequent and ugly.

We only like fetuses in this country, not actual children. Why educate them - for what? There are no jobs for them. As for teachers, as soon as they make minimum wage with no job security, then the right wing will have done what they set out to do. Idiocracy in the USA.

**Detroitej72** · November-22-10, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by bartock

All I could think of reading this is that the teacher probably didn't leave a very good tip.

You must have skipped reading comprehension since nowhere in the post did it say they were at a restaurant, it fact, it implied they were sitting around a dinning room. But, hey, why let lack of comprehension stand in the way of an ignorant dig!

bartock · November-22-10, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitej72

You must have skipped reading comprehension since nowhere in the post did it say they were at a restaurant, it fact, it implied they were sitting around a dinning room. But, hey, why let lack of comprehension stand in the way of an ignorant dig!

"Dining" room, is the correct way to spell it. Allow me to get a little pissed off.

Not an ignorant dig, a joke; in addition to "stretching" the table thing to a restaurant, at no point did I ever get into the substance of the post or expose some deep seeded issue with teachers. If you know anything about the food service industry, you would know that this is a popular stereotype. The post was a generic, anecdotal and stereotypical statement that paints teachers as saviors of the universe colored by the same brush as the generic, anecdotal, and stereotypical statements that those who think teachers are the root of all problems paint with. If you can't see the satire, that's your ignorance, not mine.

**sumas** · November-22-10, 11:32 PM

Detroit teacher,

Sorry to hear you believe that this forum bashes teachers. Any parent has bad teacher stories [[me included) but fot the record. Most teachers are amazing.

Sumas

**DetroitTeacher** · November-23-10, 06:28 AM

North, thanks for the reference...I had no idea where it came from [[another teacher emailed it to me with no references).

Sumas: I, too, have horrid teacher stories [[as a parent, student, AND a colleague). I just threw this on here to show that what people think we "make" and what we earn and two different things.

To all those who dislike/bash teachers [[and our lucrative salaries...hahaha) just think of any one teacher who made a difference in your life [[I know one teacher had to reach you somewhere, somehow) and say a silent thank you to that person.

To all those who mentioned their appreciation for teachers here: Thank you. Without our kids, we are nothing and we know that [[at least the teachers who really care).

**stromberg2** · November-23-10, 11:34 AM

I KNOW you make a big difference in kid's lives....probably moreso than some parents. Thank You!

Stromberg2

**sumas** · November-24-10, 07:11 AM

I had three teachers that made a hugh difference in my life. I thank each one. They were all very different in philosophy and life views but each did their job/career/advocation so well.

One teacher story to share: We had moved to a new district, my youngest son was a bit shy, large for his age and quite passive. His new teacher [[3rd grade) was a very young man. My son was being bullied badly on the playground. One day my son had enough and beat up the kid who was taunting and harming him. The teacher handled the situation quite well. The bully went crying to the teacher and he said if ****did this to you, you deserved it. End of story. To me, that was a wise young professional.

The kids became friends later in the school year.

Technically, my son should have been expelled for a few days for fighting. The teacher made the right call. The attacks on my son were sneaky and my son did what he did in the open and ended well.

Teachers have to make tough calls all the time that sometimes don't fit protocall [[sp ?).

I love kids but couldn't do your job. Kudos to you. Ask for a raise!

**Ray1936** · November-24-10, 01:13 PM

"I had three teachers that made a hugh difference in my life."

Sumas, I'm not poking fun at you. I just wanted to comment that nearly every time I want to type "huge", my fingers just somehow automatically put that "h" at the end. I guess so many words end in "--ugh" that instinct just takes over with 'huge'. And I see it time and time again when others do the same.

Again....not pickin' on you! People who live in glass houses and all that shit.