Slam+Poetry

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 * __What Teachers Make__** - Taylor Mali

He says the problem with teachers is, "What's a kid going to 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: That those who can, do and those who can't, teach. I decide to bite my tongue instead of his, and resist the temptation 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 (asked me to be honest) because, you see, I have a policy about honesty and ass-kicking. And that is: if you ask for it, 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. I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall in absolute silence. No, you may not work in groups. No, you can’t 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 really have to go, do you? Do you want to know what I make? I make parents tremble in fear when I call home at around dinnertime: “Hi, this is Mr. Mali, I hope I didn’t call at a bad time.” I just wanted to talk to you about something 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 kids 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?

On your page discuss the use of poetic devises. Discuss the overall meaning of the poem (theme). Discuss why you choose this poem. Of course, use specific examples from the poem

Taylor Mali uses few poetic devises in this poem. He uses them to create humor, and also describe things in detail. He describes his ability to inspire children to do well with the line “I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional medal of honor”. ‘Congressional medal of honor’ is a metaphor for the C+. This means that he can make a C+ seem like a great achievement, even though it is not. “I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall in absolute silence” is a hyperbole for making students sit through detention without causing trouble, because nobody alive can go through 40 minutes without making any noise whatsoever. This exaggeration helps illustrate the way Taylor controls his students. Taylor uses repetition in some parts of the poem to emphasize meaning. For example, he says: “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 ever again.” The poem is about not judging people based what job they are supposed to do as opposed to how they do it. A lawyer judges a teacher based how much money he makes, and then learns that the teacher’s job is far more important than his even though lawyers make more money than teachers. A teacher’s job is to educate children, who are the future. Not just anybody can be a good teacher. The poem can also be a metaphor. It could be a metaphor for somebody who spends all his money on charities or helping others instead of buying nice things for himself. Because of this, people think he is poor or cheap, when really he uses his money for far more important things.Lawyers were all once students, so there is irony when the lawyer says “What is a kid going to learn from somebody who decided their best option in life was to be a teacher?”. Lawyers learn important things from teachers and professors before they can be a lawyer. If teachers don’t really teach kids anything, then he would have never become a lawyer.

I chose this poem because it has great inner meaning, and the message it delivers is important. The poem is also very funny, and tells a good story. Taylor uses lines such as “I decide to bite my tongue instead of his” to make his poem interesting and catchy.