Of Teachers, Taylor Mali, Et Cetera

From me to you all, a blessed and satisfying Sunday! Thanks be to God, we're doing well. Hope you're doing well, too, folks.

This morning at seven, though  still in bed, with my wife, I was awaken with the sound of our alarm-clock-radio that's always set on a local public radio affiliated with NPR (National Public Radio). I may have drifted for an hour because usually our alarm-clock-radio is set at six every morning. Anyway, what caught my attention to be mentally awake was that of Bob Edwards' Weekend  show on NPR. His guest was Taylor Mali, who was talking about teachers or the teaching profession in general. This is the first time that I came to know about Mr. Mali who, I learned later on, is an American poet, a slam poetry performer, and former classroom teacher. I got interested in what he was talking about in his conversation with the radio show host Mr. Edwards. Mali  mentioned something about "What Teachers Make"; he was retelling a story about a lawyer who was with Mali's group at one dinner party where the lawyer was asking the former to be honest and tell him how much does a teacher like Mali earn or make. And Mali may have felt offended? That was the reason behind his poem and the title of his new book, "What Teachers Make: In Praise of the Greatest Job in the World." Here's Mali, from a video that I found on YouTube (thanks and to the uploader of the video. No copyright infringement intended.)

As I continued listening to Mr. Mali reciting/reading his poem "What Teachers Make" on Bob Edwards Weekend radio show, I recall about a short article (letter to the editor), "In Praise of Teachers-Educators" which I wrote and was published nine years ago in one of the local newspapers in Hampton Roads. That was my reaction (based on my experience as a former classroom English and Social Studies teacher/instructor in the Philippines back in late '70s and early '80s) and in complete agreement to a previous letter to the editor writer who was giving suggestion and thoughtful opinion to concerned local government officials (and School Board Committee members) for an increase pay for teachers in our area. Here's an excerpt of my published letter to the editor, "In Praise of Teachers-Educators:
..."Just see what teachers do. From early dawn to late at night, they are deluged with a multitude of responsibilities: schoolwork, teaching, disciplining, checking and correcting papers and homework, advising students and meeting/conferencing with parents, and preparing lesson plans. Add PTA (Parent-Teacher Association) meetings, fund-raising events and extra volunteer work, and you have  a career or a profession that can be taxing to/on body and mind.
Teachers are worth more than nurses, doctors, company managers, print and broadcast journalists, actors, pop music stars and lawyers combined. They work hard for a meager salary yet are smart, intelligent, confident, and committed to the education and success of their students.
they continue to learn while they teach. Having the noblest profession, they are the mothers and fathers of all careers and professions. And they are partners to our future---our children.
Kudos and more pay (and power), and respect to all teachers!

In addition, I've thought about a short poem I've written in 2005, "Teachers are Educators", which I'd like to share with you, folks.

Teachers are Educators

Teachers are educators

Taught, trained, and tested

Dedicated, motivated, liberated

Caring, giving, and loving

Enduring, forgiving, understanding

Exciting, Invigorating, satisfying

Intellectual, philosophical, spiritual

Emotional, physical, and social

Listening, discovering, researching

Enlightening, inspiring, and encouraging

Hoping, praying, and wishing

For the best and success in all of our students.

(c) 2012 by chris a. quilpa

Honestly speaking, I understand and feel for teachers for "I've been there and done that." Plus, my loving, caring and dedicated wife is or has been a high school classroom (Chemistry) teacher in public school in the United States for over a decade now. She and I were once co-teachers at St. Paul's College of Vigan City, Ilocos Sur (High School Department) and faculty members in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Northern Philippines, for the record. That, my friends, we have one thing in common---teaching.

Going back to Mr. Taylor Mali, I have high praises for him for being a passionate advocate for teachers. And for being a slam poetry performer. Again, from YouTube, here are a couple of videos I selected and that I'd like to share with you, my friends. (I'm just wondering if you've known and/or heard of him before.)

I like his sense of humor. Funny he is! (He's punning on words, too.) Likewise, I can relate to him on the (English) subject matter (The Impotence of Proofreading) he's talking about here in the video/s above. For clarification, I don't own the videos. No copyright infringement intended. As always, I thank YouTube and the uploaders of the videos embedded with this blog post of mine. Thanks, Google and Blogger, and Wikipedia where I've just visited to learn more about Mr. Mali, 47, a native of New York, slam poet, humorist, teacher, author, and voice over artist.

Well, folks, this is all for now. Until next time around. Take care and have a nice day!-chris a. quilpa, 06May2012