Celebrating Those Who Make A Difference

When I started Kindergarten, I would come home after school and put on my mother’s heels. I would point to an empty wall with a stick and ask my imaginary students to read along with me. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. 

When I was little I told myself that when I become a teacher I will give my students beautiful stickers and cool stamps for work done well. I will use my red pen to mark their work and give them stars and then sign my name.

However, this did not last for very long. When I became a little older I started hearing the adults around me saying that if I don’t study hard enough,  I’ll have no choice but to become a teacher when I grow up.  I am sure some of us have heard of this – Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach. Initially, I was very puzzled by this comment. Later, I figured out that teaching was not a respected job. People were more interested in me if I said that I want  to be a marine biologist when I grow up.

Fast forward to May 2012. I have been teaching for about seven years now. I cannot imagine doing anything else. I am proud to say that I am a teacher and I love giving out stickers and stamps. If someone ever tells me that only those who can’t, teach, I will tell them what we do. In conjunction with Teacher’s Day, I would like to share a poem with our fantastic EAP’s therapists and all the wonderful teachers around the world! Once again, Happy Teacher’s Day!

WHAT TEACHERS MAKE

A poem by: Taylor Mali

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 that it's true
what they say about teachers: "Those who can...do.
Those who can't ... teach."

To corroborate, he said to another guest: "You're a
teacher, Susan," he said. "Be honest. What do you
make?"

Susan, who had a reputation of honesty and frankness,
replied, "You want to know what I make?"

I make kids work harder than they ever thought they
could. I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional Medal
of Honor and an A- feel like a slap in the face if the
student did not do his or her very best."

"I can make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall
in absolute silence."

"I can make parents tremble in fear when I call home"

"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, and 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
all on their final drafts in English."

"I make them understand that if you have the brains,
then follow your heart...and if someone ever tries to
judge you by what you make, you pay them no
attention!"

"You want to know what I make?"

"I make a difference."

"And you? What do you make?"

Written by, 

Huey Sien

Senior Consultant, EAP Malaysia

(In celebration of last week's Teacher's Day @ EAP Malaysia)