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What Teachers Make

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What Teachers Make

Yes

Uploaded by

alexglz1112
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Assignment for PERIOD 2

Due September 1, 2024

What Teachers Make


Taylor Mali 2002

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Taylor Mali is an American slam poet,


teacher, and voiceover artist. In this
poem, Mali explores the criticism that
educators often receive and
challenges it by discussing the great
achievements that teachers are
responsible for.

As you read, take notes on how the


narrator’s point of view further
develops the theme of the poem.

[1] He says the


problem with
teachers is
What’s a kid
going to learn
from someone Taylor Mali by
who decided BrodieAdler is
his best option licensed under
in life CC BY-NC-ND
was to become a 2.0.
teacher?
[5] He reminds the other dinner
guests that it’s true
what they say about teachers:
Those who can, do; those who
can’t, teach.
I decide to bite my tongue instead
of his
and resist the temptation to
remind the dinner guests
[10] that it’s also true what they say
about lawyers.
Because we’re eating, after all, and
this is polite conversation.

I mean, you’re a teacher, Taylor.


Be honest. What do you make?

And I wish he hadn’t done that —


asked me to be honest —
[15] because, you see, I have this policy
about honesty and a**-kicking:
1

if you ask for it, then I have to let


you have it.
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
2
[20] and an A- feel like a slap in the
face.
How dare you waste my time
with anything less than your very
best.
I make kids sit through 40 minutes
of study hall
in absolute silence. No, you may
not work in groups.
[25] No, you may not ask a question.
Why won’t I let you go to the
bathroom?
Because you’re bored.
And you don’t really have to go to
the bathroom, do you?
I make parents tremble in fear
when I call home:
[30] Hi. This is Mr. Mali. I hope I haven’t
called at a bad time,
I just wanted to talk to you about
something your son said today.
To the biggest bully in the grade,
he said,
“Leave the kid alone. I still cry
sometimes, don’t you?
It’s no big deal.”
[35] And that was the noblest act of
courage I have ever seen.
I make parents see their children
for who they are
and what they can be.

You want to know what I make? I


make kids wonder,
I make them question.
[40] 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,
definitely beautiful
[45] 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 on their final drafts in
English.
I make them understand that if
you’ve got this,
[50] then you follow this,
and if someone ever tries to judge
you
by what you make, you give
them this.

Here, let me break it down for you,


so you know what I say is true:
Teachers make a g****** 3
difference! Now what about
you?

"What Teachers Make" from What


Learning Leaves, © 2002, Taylor Mali.
Reprinted with permission, all rights
reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, this content is


licensed under the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
license.

Notes

1. The original version of Mali's poem


includes a curse word here for
emphasis.

2. The highest US military medal


awarded by congress
3. The original version of Mali's poem
includes a curse word here for
emphasis.

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Assessment Questions

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