What Teachers Make

This time of the year is always busy for me as school starts next week. Thank goodness this year I will only be teaching a couple days a week and will home more days with my own two kids than at school. I always get asked this question and wish that I remembered to answer this way...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?" 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 winner of 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 follow your heart, and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, you must pay no attention because they just didn't learn. Susan paused and then continued. You want to know what I make? "I MAKE A DIFFERENCE." What do you make?...To those of you that are teachers, have a great first week! What a blessing to be able to make a difference!