Just What Do You DO?

Yesterday two emails showed up in my inbox that were just too coincidental to be coincidence. The first was one of those typical "glurge" emails that are supposed to brighten your day or make you feel good. I usually don't read them, no matter who they are from. For whatever reason I read this one:

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 akid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?'

He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers: 'Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach. 'To emphasize his point he said to another guest; 'You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?'

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. I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 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 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 brains, not the man-made calculator.

I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity. I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe. I make my students stand, placing their hands over their hearts to say the Pledge of Allegianceto the Flag, One Nation Under God, because we live in the United States of America .

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 attentionbecause they are ignorant...... You want to know what I make? I MAKE A DIFFERENCE. What do you make Mr. CEO?'

I didn't think much about it, really. It was nice that someone thought of me when they sent it, but it was very likely going to be binned in a day or two when I sorted through my inbox. Then, this morning this letter showed up. It was from former student of Mark's--he taught middle school from 1987 through 1999 or 2000, to give you an idea of the time that has passed.

...I was reading an article on farm subsidies and developing countries and thought of you. I usually do as I distinctly remember your lecture on the subject in eighth grade (1997/8? I’m thinking it was for the Aral Sea project). I remember not understanding it completely at the time but being consumed by the idea. You can rest assured however, I would eventually ‘get it’: I explored the subject in my dissertation on agrarianism in developing political systems.
I wonder if this will be a bit tiresome for you, but all the same, I am writing because I had wanted to thank you for another moment.

In seventh grade, you were leading a discussion on China’s One-Child Policy. I raised my hand with something to share. I stated the idea and you stopped me. You then asked me to repeat it, said it was a good idea and began exploring the implications of the idea with the class. Later you told me I was a smart kid.

The reason I write is because a teacher had never done anything like that for me. In fact, I would be hard pressed to recall a moment of equal significance to me in the ***** school system. I had always and would continue to be told that I was lazy, disruptive, trying to do too much, etc. In a way all that wouldn’t matter; a teacher I respected had inspired some belief in me. I’ll never forget it.

And so, thank you. Thank you for making the difference.

This is 3rd or 4th time a student has contacted Mark as an adult, thanking him for his time, his patience, his kindness. I'm not sharing it to toot his horn, although he was and is a teacher of the very highest caliber. All of live our lives and encounter people and we never know the impact we have on them. I think teaching is a tremendous act of faith--most of the time you will never see the true impact you have had on someone, because it won't be about that lesson on adverbs or factoring or photosynthesis. It will be that imprint you leave as a human being. Never doubt that you have made a profound impact on someone's life at some point. I find that both humbling and frightening in its magnitude.