Weekly Inspiration

He said, "A doctor wants his child to become a doctor. An engineer wants his child to become engineer. A businessman wants his ward 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, with possibly a few exceptions, the truth!"

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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 ever thought they could. I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor winner. I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for five 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 cultural 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.

Sometimes, my friends, we need to see things from a different perspective.

Contributed by Art Landing, Kiwanis Club of Rosemead

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time.