Zen Pencils by Gavin Aung Than for June 05, 2023
Transcript:
WHAT TEACHERS MAKE A poem by TAYLOR MALI Art by ZEN PENCILS He says the problem with teachers is: Man: What's a kid going to learn... ...from someone who decided his best option in life... Man: ...was to become a teacher? HA HA HA HA He reminds the other dinner guests that it's true what they say about teachers: Man: Those who can DO. Those who can't, TEACH. HA HA HA HA I decided to bite my tongue instead of HIS. And resist the temptation to remind the dinner guests that it's also true what they say about LAWYERS. Because we're all eating, after all, and this is POLITE conversation. Man: I mean, YOU'RE a teacher, Taylor. Man: Be honest. Man: What do you make? And I wish he hadn't done that - asked me to be honest. Because you see, I have this policy about HONESTY and ASS-KICKING: if you ask for it, THEN I HAVE TO LET YOU HAVE IT. YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT I MAKE? Taylor: 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. Taylor: How dare you waste my time with anything LESS than your very BEST. I make kids sit through forty minutes of study hall in ABSOLUTE SILENCE. Taylor: NO, you may not work in groups. Taylor: NO, you may not ask a question. Taylor: Why won't I let you go to the bathroom? Taylor: Because you're bored. Taylor: And you don't really have to go to the bathroom, DO YOU? I make parents tremble in fear when I call home. RING! RING! Taylor: 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: Boy: Leave the kid alone> I still cry sometimes, DON'T YOU? Boy: It's no big deal. Taylor: And that was the noblest act of courage I have EVER seen. KISS KISS KISS KISS KISS KISS KISS KISS KISS I make parents see their children for who they are and what they can be. Taylor: YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT I MAKE? I make kids WONDER. I make them QUESTION. I make them CRITICIZE. I make them apologize AND mean it. I make them WRITE. I make them READ, READ, READ. HARRY POTTER I make them spell... Definitely beautiful definitely beautiful DEF-I-NITE-LY B-E-A-UTIFUL ...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. Taylor: I make them understand that if you've got THIS... Taylor: ...then you follow THIS. Taylor: And if someone ever TRIES TO JUDGE YOU BY WHAT YOU MAKE... Taylor: ...you give them THIS. Taylor: Here, let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true. Taylor: Teachers make a goddamn difference. Taylor: Now what about you?
FreyjaRN Premium Member over 1 year ago
Amen!
My parents were teachers. I had friends in college in the teaching track, and I saw how hard they worked to become great teachers.
Willywise52 Premium Member over 1 year ago
Uh,WOW?
lsnrchrd.1 Premium Member over 1 year ago
RWNJ MAGA Christian Nationalist totalitarians intend to SILENCE public school teachers and curriculum.
God doesn’t like intellectual curiosity. God hates critical thinking.
Christian indoctrination schools? A big, enthusiastic “thumbs up” from God.
Secular public schools? Satanic, says God. Obviously.
brought to you by the extreme right Christian wing of the Republican Party and endorsed by many libertarians, too
chromosome Premium Member over 1 year ago
My sister was a teacher and my niece still is. It’s a difficult profession to master and usually not paid well enough. I’m concerned that there will be fewer people who want to pursue teaching with all the pressures teachers are experiencing now.
DBrannonWriter Premium Member over 1 year ago
Bravo
Rich Douglas over 1 year ago
Amen.
Daeder over 1 year ago
I’ve seen a video of the author reciting this. It really does make a perfect Zen Pencils comic!
ComicsMama2 over 1 year ago
From all teachers everywhere, at least this teacher here, THANK YOU!
Durak Premium Member over 1 year ago
I just retired from teaching, 19 years. My last day was May the 23rd. I already miss my students and being in the classroom. Thank you Gavin.
Rocky Premium Member over 1 year ago
GOOD Teachers make a GOOD difference. Teach facts. Teach civics. Teach moral obligation and personal responsibility and Judeo-Christian principles because “Do unto others…” is a pretty good philosophy whether you believe in God or not. Teach math, teach integrity, teach traditional values and the relationship between mankind and the ecology. Teach unabridged History. Give children the facts and keep your personal opinions to yourself. Give them all the hard, fact-based knowledge that you can and let them decide for themselves what their opinions are. Give them facts, not the latest popular fad. Give them the benefit of the doubt that they are intelligent enough to make reasoned decisions for themselves. Teach them to question everything.
sml7291 Premium Member over 1 year ago
Those that know, do. Those that understand, teach. — Aristotle
daisypekin01 over 1 year ago
would’ve been better w/o the swearing. a good teacher would know that.