What Do You Make?
I read a story about a group of adults sitting around a table discussing life. One man, who happened to be a powerful CEO, started talking about the importance of teaching children to pursue a well-paid, successful career.
He said, “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 looked at another guest and said, “You’re a teacher… be honest. What do you make?”
“You want to know what I make?” the teacher shockingly asked. The teacher paused for a moment and then replied:
“Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. 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 since typing isn’t everything. I make them read, read, read. I make them show all their work in math. I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe and secure. 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. Do you still want to know what I make? I make a difference in all your lives, educating your kids and preparing them to become CEOs, and doctors, and engineers… what do you make?”
Here’s the way I see it: Guy Kawasaki said it best, “If you have to put someone on a pedestal, put teachers. They are society’s heroes.”
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