What Teachers Make...

There has been a lack of writing in my life this year...similar to the mess in my bedroom (which, I might say has been great), the lack of writing reflects my struggle. As many know, the last two years have been the hardest of my career for a variety of reasons, personal and professional. I have been confronted with the worst...lying, betrayal, complete disregard for others....

All the things I love about teaching, the camaraderie, working together toward a common goal, opening the minds of children was replaced by pettiness, undercutting, and gossip.

I made one of the most difficult decisions of my career to leave the school I love and transfer...go to a place where I know very few people, but I can (hope to) make a difference. I am moving to the high school, where I have always felt the the ball was being dropped. In my own attempt to blame the lack of success of my beloved students, I jumped to blame others. Now I am going to try to become part of the solution. I am moving to help make a 9th Grade Academy a reality, a place where kids can find a home, a place to go from child to adult.

I want to find my spark again...I want to make something...

"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.
How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best.

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, write, write,
and then I make them read. I make them spell
definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful,
definitely beautiful
over and over again until they 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 if you got this (brain)
then you follow this, (heart)
and if someone tries to judge you
by what you make, you give them this (the finger).

Here, let me break it down for you,
so you know what I say is true;
Teachers? Teachers make a difference!
Now what about you?

(modified from What Teachers Make by Taylor Mali)