Taylor Mali:教师究竟能干点什么

                       原讲词摘录如下：
                       He says the problem with teachers is, “What’s a kid gonna learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?”

                       He reminds the other dinner guests that it’s true what they say about teachers:

                       Those who can, Do; and those who can’t, Teach.

                       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.

                       Because we’re eating, after all, and this is polite conversation.

                       “I mean, you¹re a teacher, Taylor,” he says.

                       “Be honest. What do you make?”

                       And I wish he hadn’t done that (asking me to be honest)

                       because, you see, I have a policy about honesty and ass-kicking, which is:

                       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 and an A- feel like a slap in the face.

                       How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best.

                       You want to know what I make?

                       I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall in absolute silence. No, you can not work in groups.

                       No, you can not ask a question. so put your hand down.

                       Why won’t I let you go to the bathroom?

                       Because you’re bored, and you don’t raelly have to go. do you?

                       You want to know what I make?

                       I make parents tremble in fear when I call home 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 something that your son did today. He said, “Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don’t you?”

                       And it 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 them question.

                       I make them criticize.

                       I make them apologize and mean it.

                       I make them write, write, write.

                       And then I make them read.

                       I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful
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 realize that if you got this (brains) then you follow this (heart) and if someone tries to judge you based on what you make, you give them this (the finger).

                       Let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true:

                       I make a goddamn difference! Now what about you?