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Jake Washburn

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music music music music music music music Hello, My name is Jake Washburn and today I'll be performing a poem, um, called What Teachers make by Taylor Mali. Hope you enjoy. He says the problem with teachers is "What’s a kid going to learn from someone that's already decided that his best option in life is to become a teacher?" (laughing) He then goes on to remind the other dinner guests , that it’s true what they say about teachers: "Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach." (laughing) I decide to bite my tongue instead of his, and resist the urge to remind the other dinner guests, that it’s also true what they say about lawyers. But, we were eating, after all, so this was supposed to be, polite conversation. "I mean, you're a teacher, Taylor." He says, "Be honest. What do you make?" And I wish he hadn’t done that. asked me to be honest. For you see, I have this policy about honesty and butt kicking. (laughing) If you ask for it, then I have to let you have it. "You want to know what I make? I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional Medal of Honor and an A minus feel like a slap in the face. (laughing) How dare you waste my time with anything but your very best? (laughing) You want to know what I make? I make kids sit through 45 minutes of study hall in absolute silence. (Laughing) No, you may not work in groups. No, you may not ask a question. So put your hand down. (laughing) 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, now do you? (laughing) You want to know what I make? I make parents tremble in fear when I call at around dinner time: Hi. This is Mr. Mali. I hope I haven’t called at a bad time, I just wanted to talk to you about someting that your son said today. (laughing) He said to the biggest bully in the school, "Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes too. don't you?' And that was the noblest act of courage I have ever seen. You want to know what I make? I make kids question I make them criticize. I make them apologize and mean it. (laughing) I make them write, write, write. Then I make the read. Then I make them spell out definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, def-in-ite-ly bea-uti-ful over and over again until they will never misspell those words again. (laughing) I make them show all their work in math then hide it on their final drafts in English. (laughing) I make them realize that if you’ve got this, and you follow this, and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, you give them this. (laughing) (clapping) um . . .um (laughing) Let me break it down for you, so that you know what I say is true. I make a difference. Now, What about you? (clapping)

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