To my pen, forgive me for typing..: The last day of my first class...

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

The last day of my first class...

This was forworded to me awhile ago. It kinda reflects my current situation in some ways. I'm posting it because I wanted to say something about my decision but I don't really have the time or energy to type out everything nicely and with meaning like I want to. I just finished marking what was probably the most beautiful student essay I ever read (from one of the grade 12s) and I now have one more culminating essay to mark. Plus I'm feeling a little emotional. Today was the last day of my first class. I didn't cry, but I probably will tomorrow (either before, after, but hopefully not during the exam).

WHAT TEACHERS MAKE

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. Oneman, a CEO, decided to explain the problem witheducation. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best optionin 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?"

Teachers make every other profession possible

12 Comments:

At 11:35 p.m., Anonymous said…

Teaching is a hard job. But I find, for myself at least, that it is a very rewarding. Perhaps the most rewarding thing that a person could ever do.

It is sad to come to the end of one class. But just know that every class you will ever have will be equally as awesome, and will be blessed to have you as a teacher!
At 9:09 a.m., Anonymous said…

Teaching is one of the most fun jobs if the students want to learn, if you know your stuff and you know how to express it. I had a blast TAing and from the approval ratings (we had evaluation forms) I could say the students had an equally good time (except when assignments were handed back).

But in Canada, teaching is also one of the well paid and secure jobs, right?
At 10:34 a.m., Anonymous said…

Teaching isn't easy, my mom is a teacher and its a tough job. Between the budget cuts, bad kids and the amount of unpaid/unacknowledged work involved you'd have to really love it to do it. There is a fair amount of security and decent pay though no?
At 5:59 p.m., 'liya said…

Abigail: Yay, teacher's unite :D Yes it's SO rewarding! I think I'm sad because this was my first class and they were such characters! To anyone who could see my class, you wouldn't think little old me could handle them - they were a "dangerous" bunch, but they proved to be so great!

Mezba: Definitely fun! Ooh evalutation ratings, I remember those in uni - I always used to be REALLY critical :D You know, I probably should have given something like that out to my students this year just to get feedback on how I can improve. Argh! That's a good idea, I wish I had done that and now it's too late!

Ruby: Hehe, well we're always going to complain about not being paid enough even when we are right?! I was surprised, I didn't find my first year as tough as everyone said it would be, I think maybe because I'm young, the kids really connected with me, in fact it was quite easy (okay, now watch, it'll go bad for me saying that!) - but yeah, I like come home and I'm not even tired - quite a change from uni!
At 6:46 p.m., Anonymous said…

wow...your post gave me goosebumps. It's true "Teachers make every other profession possible". Good post!
At 8:17 p.m., 'liya said…

Faiza: :D

Okay, I'm like holding my breath here, I just got a call that might change my life! - okay, I'm being dramatic, but it's something IMPORTANT anyway! - I have to be patient and wait till tomorrow before finding out *sigh* I don't want to give any details in case it isn't true, but, let's just say, it's been my topic of discussion for my last two posts...
At 9:12 p.m., Anonymous said…

man, what a tease/cliffhanger. I need like a spoiler for your next post :P
At 12:33 a.m., Anonymous said…

I come from a family filled with teacher's.
My uncle was a principal, his wife is still teaching. My aunt just retired now after something close to 40years of teaching. My two cousins are teachers.
It takes a lot of dedication and hard work to become and remain a teacher.
You have to deal with snotty students, uptight parents and sometimes nutty bosses.

I think it's one of the toughest jobs out there and I admire anyone that is a teacher.
I still miss my Grade 12 English teacher. She left my high school recently to retire and I'm just thinking of the impact she made. She was one of the top English teachers in the country and once help set the final English Exam paper throughout the country.
She put that love for the English language in me and I don't think I'll ever forget her.
When I read this story on your blog, it just reminds me of her. She was just like that teacher. A C+ was like the Nobel Prize for English! Lol!

Would I want to be a teacher? No, I don't think I'll have the patience to deal with kids on a daily basis as my own nephews drive me bonkers on a daily basis.

So yes, I admire teachers a lot.
At 2:00 a.m., Anonymous said…

I admire ur profession. the prophet once said that the best among us is the one who learns the Qur'an and TEACHES it to others.
At 9:29 a.m., 'liya said…

Ahmed: I'm waiting for THE CALL before I say anything in case it isn't true :S I'm at home right now marking exams and I'm so nervous I can't even focus!

Fatima: Geez, your family is like a school in itself lol. I wish my family had more teachers who I could steal lesson plans from!

You're right though, not everyone can deal with a room full of kids on a daily basis, there's some teachers out there who obviously can't and students would be a lot better off without them :S

Your English teacher DOES sound amazing. My goal is to be a teacher like that so that one day I'll have students who talk about me like how you talk about her - hope I can make it to that point!

Linus: I don't teach Quran but that's a good point :)
At 7:41 p.m., Anonymous said…

Thanks Liya for commenting on my blog. I will tell you one thing - good teachers rock!
At 10:26 p.m., 'liya said…

Haleem: :D