Value of Being a Teacher

 From a School Principal's Speech at Graduation

Doctor wants his child to become a doctor.

Engineer wants his child to become an engineer.

Businessman wants his child to become CEO.

But a teacher also wants his child to become one of them!!!

Nobody wants to become a teacher BY CHOICE.

Very sad, but that's the truth...!!!

He relates the following story:

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?”

To stress his point, he said to another guest, “You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest...what do you make?”

Teacher Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, “You want to know what I make?”  She paused for a second, then began...

          Well, I MAKE kids work harder than they thought they could.

          I MAKE a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honour winner.

          I MAKE kids sit through 40 minutes  of class time when their parents can't

          make them sit for 5 minutes without an I-pod, Game Cube or movie rental.

          You want to know  what I MAKE?  (She paused again and looked at each and

          every person at the table), 

          I MAKE kids wonder.

          I MAKE them question.

          I MAKE them apologize and mean it.

          I MAKE them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.

          I TEACH them how to write and then I MAKE them write.

          Keyboarding isn't everything.

          I MAKE them read, read, read.

          I MAKE them show all their work in math.  They use their God-given brain,

          not the man-made calculator.

          I MAKE my students from other countries learn everything they need to

          know about English while preserving their unique culture  identity.

          I MAKE my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.

          Finally, I MAKE them understand that if they use the gifts they were

          given, work hard and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life.

          Bonnie paused one last time and then continued:

          Then, when people try to judge me by what I MAKE, with me knowing

          money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention

          because they are ignorant.  You want to know what I MAKE?

          I MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN ALL YOUR LIVES, EDUCATING KIDS

          AND PREPARING THEM TO BECOME CEO'S AND DOCTORS AND

          ENGINEERS...

          What do you make Mr. CEO?

His jaw dropped; he went silent.

* * * * * * * * *

This is worth sending to every person you know.

Even all “personal teachers” like

mother, father, guardian, brother, sister,

coach and spiritual leader/teacher.

(Many thanks to Tom for forwarding the foregoing to me.

He is also a retired teacher as I am.)

Quotes by Bill Sherk

a retired High School Teacher...in his book,

“Try to Keep Up With Me”

The most important people in the entire education system

were not the directors or administrators or even the teachers.

The most important were the students.

Show your students that you are generally interested

in helping them to achieve academic success.

Respect...Commitment...Responsibility!

Impress these values upon your students...not only as students

but also future citizens in their society.

Crafted by Merle Baird-Kerr...March 25, 2013

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