Name: Class:

What Teachers Make

By Taylor Mali
2002

Taylor Mali is an American slam poet, teacher, and voiceover artist. In this poem, Mali explores the criticism that
educators often receive and challenges it by discussing the great achievements that teachers are responsible for.
As you read, take notes on how the narrator’s point of view further develops the theme of the poem.

[1] 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?
[5] He reminds the other dinner guests that it’s true
what they say about teachers:
Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach.
I decide to bite my tongue instead of his
and resist the temptation to remind the dinner guests
[10] that it’s also true what they say about lawyers.
Because we’re eating, after all, and this is polite
conversation.

I mean, you’re a teacher, Taylor.

Be honest. What do you make?
"Taylor Mali" by BrodieAdler is licensed under CC BY-
And I wish he hadn’t done that — asked me to be NC-ND 2.0.
honest —
1
[15] because, you see, I have this policy about honesty and a**-kicking:
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.
2
I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional Medal of Honor
[20] 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.
[25] No, you may not ask a question.
Why won’t I let you go to the bathroom?
Because you’re bored.

1. The original version of Mali's poem includes a curse word here for emphasis.
2. The highest US military medal awarded by congress

1
 And you don’t really have to go to the bathroom, do you?
I make parents tremble in fear when I call home:
[30] Hi. This is Mr. Mali. I hope I haven’t called at a bad time,
I just wanted to talk to you about something your son said today.
To the biggest bully in the grade, he said,
“Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don’t you?
It’s no big deal.”
[35] And that 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 wonder,

I make them question.
[40] I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them write.
I make them read, read, read.
I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful
[45] over and 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 understand that if you’ve got this,
[50] then you follow this,
and if someone ever tries to judge you
by what you make, you give them this.

Here, let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true:
3
Teachers make a g****** difference! Now what about you?

"What Teachers Make" from What Learning Leaves, © 2002, Taylor Mali. Reprinted with permission, all rights
reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, this content is licensed under the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license

3. The original version of Mali's poem includes a curse word here for emphasis.

2
 Text-Dependent Questions
Directions: For the following questions, choose the best answer or respond in complete sentences.

1. PART A: Which statement identifies the central theme of the text?

A. Teachers create change more valuable than the worth of their paycheck.
B. The more someone makes, the more valuable their career is to the world.
C. The money teachers make is fair for what their jobs require them to do.
D. Teachers are grossly underpaid and should make more for all the hard work they do.

2. PART B: Which detail from the poem best supports the answer to Part A?
A. "Those who can, do; those who can't, teach." (Line 7)
B. "I mean, you're a teacher, Taylor. / Be honest. What do you make?" (Lines 12-13)
C. "You want to know what I make? I make kids wonder," (Line 38)
D. "and if someone ever tries to judge you / by what you make, you give them this." (Lines
51-52)

3. PART A: What is the effect of the authoring repeating "I make" throughout the poem?
A. Depict teachers as hard working
B. Support the idea that teachers make too little
C. Give examples for why teachers make less money
D. Reinforce the extent of what teachers make in the classroom

4. PART B: Which quote from the poem best supports the answer to Part A?
A. "How dare you waste my time / with anything less than your very best." (Lines 21-22)
B. "I just wanted to talk to you about something your son said today. To the biggest bully
in the grade," (Lines 31-32)
C. "over and over and over again until they will never misspell / either one of those words
again." (Lines 45-46)
D. "Teachers make a g------ difference! Now what about you?" (Line 54)

5. How does the narrator's point of view influence the contents of the poem?

3
 Discussion Questions
Directions: Brainstorm your answers to the following questions in the space provided. Be prepared to share
your original ideas in a class discussion.

1. Draw on your own experiences in school - how has a teacher impacted your life?

2. In your opinion, why is working in education undervalued in the United States? Cite evidence from
this text, your own experience, and other literature, art, or history in your answer.

3. In the context of the poem, what is the goal of education? How does the goal of education compare
to the goals of educators? Cite evidence from this text, your own experience, and other literature,
art, or history in your answer.