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What Teachers Make: In Praise of the Greatest Job in the World
Former middle-school teacher and teachers’ advocate Taylor Mali struck a chord with his passionate response to a man at a dinner party who asked him what kind of salary teachers make—a poetic rant that has been seen and forwarded millions of times on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
Based on the poem that inspired a movement, What Teachers Make is Mali’s sharp, funny, reflective, critical call to arms about the joys of teaching and why teachers are so vital to America today. It’s a book that will be treasured and shared by every teacher in America—and everyone who’s ever loved or learned from one.
Based on the poem that inspired a movement, What Teachers Make is Mali’s sharp, funny, reflective, critical call to arms about the joys of teaching and why teachers are so vital to America today. It’s a book that will be treasured and shared by every teacher in America—and everyone who’s ever loved or learned from one.
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First published January 1, 2012
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About the author
Taylor Mali
74 books109 followersTaylor Mali is a former teacher and classically trained actor who now makes his living as a professional poet. One of the original poets to appear on the HBO series Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry, he is a veteran of the poetry slam and the author of What Learning Leaves and several spoken word CDs and DVDs. He lives and writes in New York City. For more information, visit www.taylormali.com"
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 231 reviews
August 1, 2012
As a high school English teacher, I am always a fan of books that promote teaching and encourage us to take a fresh look at one of the most influential and important positions in America. I was thrilled after glancing at Taylor Mali's book, and while I was excited to read it at the beginning, by the end, I was fairly disappointed.
Mali has a strong introduction, explaining how the poem which shares the same title as the book, came about, and how his career evolved as a result of this poem (he no longer is a classroom teacher, but instead, travels the world teaching poetry to students and teachers alike). Quickly, however, Mali begins focusing on short anecdotes intended to highlight the demands, intrinsic rewards and sheer joy of teaching, as seen through his own experience. I enjoyed this at first, but it soon began to feel very self-promoting and repetitive (Mali includes much of his own poetry and shares stories which are intended to highlight his academic genius).
Mali has great voice, but unfortunately, his time outside of the classroom shows. So much has changed since he was a teacher in the '90s that the book seems out of date and out of touch (Mali devotes a chapter to the genius behind creating a computer-based grade book - something that is fairly standard in most districts across the nation). Furthermore, with shifts toward common core, standardized testing, differentiated instruction, and sound grading practices, Mali's work seems a bit too idealistic to be a truly enjoyable read (for example, Mali goes into great detail about his favorite assignment - having students create a Roman-style shield that was impenetrable against a sword - and freely admits that the grade was based on artistic style and strength and had little to no curricular benefit - something which would not tie in nicely to a curriculum that is intended to blend fun and learning).
While I really wanted to like this book (and was thinking it would be a great gift to give to students who dream of being teachers), this book is out of touch with the reality of teaching today. Mali who hasn't been in a classroom since cell-phones invaded has a few really good suggestions and heartfelt stories, but this is not all that it could have been. From shelfishness.blog.com
Mali has a strong introduction, explaining how the poem which shares the same title as the book, came about, and how his career evolved as a result of this poem (he no longer is a classroom teacher, but instead, travels the world teaching poetry to students and teachers alike). Quickly, however, Mali begins focusing on short anecdotes intended to highlight the demands, intrinsic rewards and sheer joy of teaching, as seen through his own experience. I enjoyed this at first, but it soon began to feel very self-promoting and repetitive (Mali includes much of his own poetry and shares stories which are intended to highlight his academic genius).
Mali has great voice, but unfortunately, his time outside of the classroom shows. So much has changed since he was a teacher in the '90s that the book seems out of date and out of touch (Mali devotes a chapter to the genius behind creating a computer-based grade book - something that is fairly standard in most districts across the nation). Furthermore, with shifts toward common core, standardized testing, differentiated instruction, and sound grading practices, Mali's work seems a bit too idealistic to be a truly enjoyable read (for example, Mali goes into great detail about his favorite assignment - having students create a Roman-style shield that was impenetrable against a sword - and freely admits that the grade was based on artistic style and strength and had little to no curricular benefit - something which would not tie in nicely to a curriculum that is intended to blend fun and learning).
While I really wanted to like this book (and was thinking it would be a great gift to give to students who dream of being teachers), this book is out of touch with the reality of teaching today. Mali who hasn't been in a classroom since cell-phones invaded has a few really good suggestions and heartfelt stories, but this is not all that it could have been. From shelfishness.blog.com
April 21, 2012
What Teachers Make is similiar to many teacher memoirs, except that it isn’t. Even though former classroom teacher and poet, author Taylor Mali, doesn’t exactly ignore the problems with the educational system in America, he also doesn’t dwell on issues not soon resolved. In both his poem, “What Teachers Make,” and in this novel, he instead chooses to focus on the lost art of respecting teachers and the job they do every day.
I don’t have my license yet (though I spend tons of time in classrooms), but I still identified with much of the common sense Mali advocates using when teaching children. Not only are there good ideas for activities and projects packed into this pocket-sized volume, many of the incidents and memories are simply meant as examples of what students can do and who they can become when they are instructed by dedicated, creative, invested teachers.
Mali never got preachy, yet he has a way of making you want to jump up and do something. I am not surprised he has encouraged almost 1,000 people to become teachers. The way he describes both the challenges and rewards of the career is infectious. Not that I think reading one poem should be why you choose to do anything for the rest of your life. The people Mali touches, myself included, already have the teacher gene in their DNA; his words speak to that part of us and make us even more excited to teach others. Motivational speaking is certainly one of his strong suits, but the classroom has lost a great educator to the advocacy of teacher appreciation.
This is a memoir that I will be recommending to other pre-service and classroom teachers alike, as well as purchasing a copy of my own to reread after hard days in my ED classes. What's it all for? This. This is what I, as a teacher, will make...eventually.
I don’t have my license yet (though I spend tons of time in classrooms), but I still identified with much of the common sense Mali advocates using when teaching children. Not only are there good ideas for activities and projects packed into this pocket-sized volume, many of the incidents and memories are simply meant as examples of what students can do and who they can become when they are instructed by dedicated, creative, invested teachers.
Mali never got preachy, yet he has a way of making you want to jump up and do something. I am not surprised he has encouraged almost 1,000 people to become teachers. The way he describes both the challenges and rewards of the career is infectious. Not that I think reading one poem should be why you choose to do anything for the rest of your life. The people Mali touches, myself included, already have the teacher gene in their DNA; his words speak to that part of us and make us even more excited to teach others. Motivational speaking is certainly one of his strong suits, but the classroom has lost a great educator to the advocacy of teacher appreciation.
This is a memoir that I will be recommending to other pre-service and classroom teachers alike, as well as purchasing a copy of my own to reread after hard days in my ED classes. What's it all for? This. This is what I, as a teacher, will make...eventually.
April 6, 2013
What Teachers Make: In Praise of the Greatest Job in the World by Taylor Mali is a very comforting book to read if you are a teacher (if you're not a teacher, you probably won't read it, which is a shame). In a series of vignettes, Mali depicts some of the challenges and rewards of teaching. Like parenthood, with even less narcissistic gratification, teaching is a career that no one would choose looking simply at a cost/benefits analysis. It is a vocation in which the many hours of drudgery are magically compensated for in a moment of revelation for a student or, sometimes, for a teacher. Teaching is filled with transformative experiences, sometimes hard-earned, often seemingly serendipitous, that make a teacher's life more gifted than any casual observer could ever imagine.
The book grew out of a poem Mali wrote in response to a snarky remark made to him at a dinner party (by a lawyer no less!). "What a teacher makes" turns a belittling comment on teacher salaries into a pun ("I make students work harder than they ever thought they could") and a miracle (in effect, I make human beings awaken to the world outside and within). After many readers of the poem wrote to him, telling of their decision (because of the poem) to become a teacher, Mali was inspired to use his poem to inspire 1,000 people to become teachers.
It would be wonderful if people who are not teacher would read this work. The book is short and highly accessible. The time invested in reading it might eliminate many of the nasty comments made publicly and privately about teachers which would, in turn, make our work that much easier to do.
The book grew out of a poem Mali wrote in response to a snarky remark made to him at a dinner party (by a lawyer no less!). "What a teacher makes" turns a belittling comment on teacher salaries into a pun ("I make students work harder than they ever thought they could") and a miracle (in effect, I make human beings awaken to the world outside and within). After many readers of the poem wrote to him, telling of their decision (because of the poem) to become a teacher, Mali was inspired to use his poem to inspire 1,000 people to become teachers.
It would be wonderful if people who are not teacher would read this work. The book is short and highly accessible. The time invested in reading it might eliminate many of the nasty comments made publicly and privately about teachers which would, in turn, make our work that much easier to do.
September 6, 2024
This is a lovely inspirational book for teachers of all kinds.
November 29, 2025
Taylor Mali writes an inspiring book on the value of teachers.
June 15, 2012
I had not heard of Mali's poem "What Teachers Make" before I picked up this book. There's been a steady stream of books written by teachers about their profession. Some are how-to books (like Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire: The Methods and Madness Inside Room 56), some are humorous, anecdotal send-ups (like 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny: Life Lessons from Teaching), others show a more problematic reality of public schools (like Educating ESME: Diary of a Teacher's First Year). Some are bitter memoirs (like The Water is Wide).
Where does this book fit in? It's part spirited defense of teachers and teaching, part affectionate look at the absurdities and quirks of students. It's a reminder of the fun parts and amazing moments that come around every so often. This is a good pick-me-up book when you need to remember why we bother, oddly enough by a person who no longer teaches.
On the whole, I support the opening up of all views and areas of the teaching profession into the public arena, especially an honest and realistic portrayal of what teaching is like.
Where does this book fit in? It's part spirited defense of teachers and teaching, part affectionate look at the absurdities and quirks of students. It's a reminder of the fun parts and amazing moments that come around every so often. This is a good pick-me-up book when you need to remember why we bother, oddly enough by a person who no longer teaches.
On the whole, I support the opening up of all views and areas of the teaching profession into the public arena, especially an honest and realistic portrayal of what teaching is like.
May 23, 2012
I loved this book!
Taylor Mali wrote the poem What Teachers Make after a party where he was at where a lawyer was putting down teachers. He vented his frustrations and performed the poem at a poetry slam. From there it just spread. He started doing presentations and eventually wrote this book.
There are lots of parts of this book that I really liked. I really like his explanation for when a kid asks,""When are we ever going to need this in real life?" the answer is not what they expect: never.
"These exact facts, figures, and problems? You'll probably never need them. The real lesson here is the diligence, cooperation, resilience, flexibility, critical thinking, and problem solving you are actively using today. You will use those skills every time life presents you with something difficult or unexpected: obstacles in your personal life, accidents and catastrophes, lost jobs and loved ones. Working through those challenges is what matters most. When I'm teaching kids to work harder than they ever thought they could? That is what they will need every day of their lives."
I highly recommend. I borrow this book from the library, but I'm buying a copy to keep.
Taylor Mali wrote the poem What Teachers Make after a party where he was at where a lawyer was putting down teachers. He vented his frustrations and performed the poem at a poetry slam. From there it just spread. He started doing presentations and eventually wrote this book.
There are lots of parts of this book that I really liked. I really like his explanation for when a kid asks,""When are we ever going to need this in real life?" the answer is not what they expect: never.
"These exact facts, figures, and problems? You'll probably never need them. The real lesson here is the diligence, cooperation, resilience, flexibility, critical thinking, and problem solving you are actively using today. You will use those skills every time life presents you with something difficult or unexpected: obstacles in your personal life, accidents and catastrophes, lost jobs and loved ones. Working through those challenges is what matters most. When I'm teaching kids to work harder than they ever thought they could? That is what they will need every day of their lives."
I highly recommend. I borrow this book from the library, but I'm buying a copy to keep.
December 23, 2018
I never spend a minute of any school day wondering why I do this work or whether it is worth it, but that doesn't mean it's easy. If you're a tired teacher, read Taylor Mali. He reminds us that we have the greatest job in the world! Unequivocally. After twenty-three years in the teaching profession, I still wake up and live my dream every day in my classroom. But just because I love it doesn't mean it isn't WORK, or that I don't get discouraged, or that grading is the most tedious and time-consuming part of my job.
How do we quantify what we do as teachers? What is the measure of our success? Mali succeeds in articulating that test scores, quiz grades, project rubrics are not the full—or even significant—measure of our success. Much of teaching is intangible; much of *real* education is unquantifiable. How do we measure a student’s ability to persevere to learn? This is hard and holy work.
His passionate and inspiring response to "Be honest. What do you make?" resonates like a tuning fork with anyone who has ever tried to teach. With anecdotes and background information for why he included specific lines in his famous poem, Mali gives one of the most eloquent tributes ever written to teachers, recognizing the love, dedication, and commitment it takes to be a good teacher. Teaching is a vocation that keeps making more of the teacher.
"Here's a fact I never hear anyone on television talk about, all the teachers I have known need at least one hour outside the classroom for every hour they spend inside the classroom" (147) {and more}.
Ultimately and at the most basic level, "That's what teachers make: the promise to leave every student they teach better prepared for the future than they were when they entered the class at the beginning of the school year" (193).
How do we quantify what we do as teachers? What is the measure of our success? Mali succeeds in articulating that test scores, quiz grades, project rubrics are not the full—or even significant—measure of our success. Much of teaching is intangible; much of *real* education is unquantifiable. How do we measure a student’s ability to persevere to learn? This is hard and holy work.
His passionate and inspiring response to "Be honest. What do you make?" resonates like a tuning fork with anyone who has ever tried to teach. With anecdotes and background information for why he included specific lines in his famous poem, Mali gives one of the most eloquent tributes ever written to teachers, recognizing the love, dedication, and commitment it takes to be a good teacher. Teaching is a vocation that keeps making more of the teacher.
"Here's a fact I never hear anyone on television talk about, all the teachers I have known need at least one hour outside the classroom for every hour they spend inside the classroom" (147) {and more}.
Ultimately and at the most basic level, "That's what teachers make: the promise to leave every student they teach better prepared for the future than they were when they entered the class at the beginning of the school year" (193).
February 22, 2020
I like Taylor Mali’s poem “What Teachers Make” quite a bit (and as a teacher, find it inspiring, for the most part). I do disagree wholeheartedly with his part about kids not being able to leave the room to get a drink or go to the bathroom. I teach 17 year olds, and at some point as a teacher, you realize that you can’t force kids to care about material-ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY ARE TEENAGERS with hormones and all kinds of baggage. They can respect you, respect the job you’re doing, and still need a break- whether legitimate or just to take a quick walk- and denying them that is nothing more than a power play.
I’ve been teaching for over a decade, and the number of students who have legitimate trauma and baggage that they walk into my classroom with every day (and subsequently impacts their academics in my class) has shifted tremendously in the past ten years. To expect these kids to prioritize Brit Lit or Geometry over their own immediate issues (because- they’re teens and they can’t prioritize)is misguided and lacks compassion.
I’ve been teaching for over a decade, and the number of students who have legitimate trauma and baggage that they walk into my classroom with every day (and subsequently impacts their academics in my class) has shifted tremendously in the past ten years. To expect these kids to prioritize Brit Lit or Geometry over their own immediate issues (because- they’re teens and they can’t prioritize)is misguided and lacks compassion.
April 8, 2020
It is interesting because I have read three works of nonfiction in a row and I have enjoyed this one the most. I think part of the reason why is because I connected with the material so much. Being a teacher myself, a lot of what Taylor Mali was writing about really resonated with me. I loved his anecdotes about teaching and one that really stood out was the one with the bully and the child who stood up for the child being bullied. The person who stood up to the bully said, "Leave him alone. So what if he's crying? I still cry sometimes, don't you?" A quote like this made me really reflect on why I love to teach. It is moments like these when you see the good in children and how they can really surprise you with how mature they can be. I do not even know if I would have been as brave as this young student. This was a great read and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for an easy, but meaningful read. Even if you are not a teacher, I think you can still get a lot from this short work.
November 26, 2017
This book expands on a poem which I had not read before. As soon as I read the original poem, I could tell this book was not going to be what I expected. The instances described in the book were very specific, which some people obviously found relatable, but it seemed dated to me; For example, there are two chapters dedicated to how technology advancements changed Mali’s grade books and how the children interacted with the classroom material. As a young professional in the field, the book was not relatable to my classroom experience. I wanted the book to be inspiring and include more general information about why teaching is “the greatest job in the world”. Still, it was an interesting look at Mali’s experiences and how things have changed over time.
March 22, 2017
Taylor Mali combines sobering truths with humorous anecdotes about the perils and joys of teaching. This little book sheds light on the field of teaching and its merits as well as its hardships but Taylor Mali reinforces the idea that teachers do make a difference - if you're the kind of person who wants to change a student's life or have had a teacher change your life, this book is worth reading.
August 26, 2021
wonderfully apropos on this the first day back to school for me and my fellow teachers. recommended for any teacher’s knapsack or backpack or daily-carrying-device-of-choice to remind us of why we teach and the importance we make.
April 21, 2023
subbing for seniors today & saw this book in the classroom i’m in! i finished this within the first two hours of the day. super quick & good read! i always love & find it very necessary to listen to teachers who love teaching. just the pick me up i needed about my decision to become a teacher!!
July 25, 2025
To be frank I was nervous coming into the new school year, but this book is a good way to boost your confidence as an educator and reminds you that teaching is more than a paycheck at the end of the day.
January 10, 2013
Whenever I feel especially frustrated and depressed about the state of education, I pull up Taylor Mali's youtube performance of this poem. I watch his fierceness and I feel better. So, I was thrilled to find this book, and wallowed in the deliciousness for a couple of days. I found lines and pages and poems that made me so grateful to have chosen this profession...or to have been chosen by this profession.
I have seen Mali perform this poem at the SOS Rally in DC...I told people who were all agog over Matt Damon, that the highlight for me was watching Mali and Jonathan Kozol exchange words in the hot summer sun...what a treat!!
This book begins with 'What Teachers Make,' and meanders through Mali's teaching experiences. He's taught so many subjects in so many settings, and now teaches creative writing in workshop settings. He knows kids. He loves them, and it shows.
"The most important thing a teacher can do is make students apply themselves."
"That's what teaching is: the art of explanation."
"What do [teachers] make? Teachers make use of their knowledge (when they are free to do so)."
And my favorite, a description of a revered teacher: "He didn't want to insult us by asking a question to which he already knew the answer."
Mali gets teaching and he gets teachers. We love stories of interactions...of learning...of epiphanies.
And we love Taylor Mali's stories. We are grateful for his support.
One of my colleagues saw my book on my desk and tried to swipe it before I'd finished. Now I can share it with her!
I have seen Mali perform this poem at the SOS Rally in DC...I told people who were all agog over Matt Damon, that the highlight for me was watching Mali and Jonathan Kozol exchange words in the hot summer sun...what a treat!!
This book begins with 'What Teachers Make,' and meanders through Mali's teaching experiences. He's taught so many subjects in so many settings, and now teaches creative writing in workshop settings. He knows kids. He loves them, and it shows.
"The most important thing a teacher can do is make students apply themselves."
"That's what teaching is: the art of explanation."
"What do [teachers] make? Teachers make use of their knowledge (when they are free to do so)."
And my favorite, a description of a revered teacher: "He didn't want to insult us by asking a question to which he already knew the answer."
Mali gets teaching and he gets teachers. We love stories of interactions...of learning...of epiphanies.
And we love Taylor Mali's stories. We are grateful for his support.
One of my colleagues saw my book on my desk and tried to swipe it before I'd finished. Now I can share it with her!
April 19, 2012
Mali really excels at the short essay. Quips and anecdotes from his teaching days and other times with poems interspersed throughout. I don't know how many people need to be reminded that teaching is important, and yes there are awful teachers, but there are incredibly wonderful teachers. Mali delves into what teachers make besides money, why they do it, his most rewarding experiences, and the problems facing teachers these days. His analysis that anyone who thinks teachers are greedy and use the job to live high on the hog at the state's expense must not know (or ignore) the truth about teacher's salaries.
He also brought up a shockingly obvious point, that I'm mad I didn't realize it. Schools get money from property taxes, the districts with the wealthy properties have better funded schools, coming from a wealthy background increases chances of better education. So maybe, education funding shouldn't be tied to property taxes, it all feels like a scam now.
If you need something uplifting to read, if you want a great gift for a teacher that will (should) also make them inspired, get and read this book.
He also brought up a shockingly obvious point, that I'm mad I didn't realize it. Schools get money from property taxes, the districts with the wealthy properties have better funded schools, coming from a wealthy background increases chances of better education. So maybe, education funding shouldn't be tied to property taxes, it all feels like a scam now.
If you need something uplifting to read, if you want a great gift for a teacher that will (should) also make them inspired, get and read this book.
April 15, 2012
Taylor Mali is a warrior for teachers. I watch his "What Teachers Make" poem at least once a month for inspiration when I'm feeling defeated.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxsOVK...
This little book says so much of what teachers actually make. Some of the stories had me laughing out loud and some had me emotional. Although I've decided that teachers have a different sense of humor than everyone else. At my school, all someone has to do is mention "HoneyBun Boy" during lunch and the whole lounge is crying with laughter, even student teachers like myself who weren't even there for HoneyBun boy's antics. We just think kids are hilarious, okay??
But anyway, even if you don't find this book funny, I completely recommend it for any teacher who needs some encouragement...or any asshole who thinks teachers are lazy/greedy/unintelligent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxsOVK...
This little book says so much of what teachers actually make. Some of the stories had me laughing out loud and some had me emotional. Although I've decided that teachers have a different sense of humor than everyone else. At my school, all someone has to do is mention "HoneyBun Boy" during lunch and the whole lounge is crying with laughter, even student teachers like myself who weren't even there for HoneyBun boy's antics. We just think kids are hilarious, okay??
But anyway, even if you don't find this book funny, I completely recommend it for any teacher who needs some encouragement...or any asshole who thinks teachers are lazy/greedy/unintelligent.
June 29, 2014
I feel like the people who will read this book are the people who already agree with everything in this book. It's the people who don't agree and who treat teachers like second-class citizens and worthless contributors to society who probably won't read this book, but those are the people who need to read this book. The author, Taylor Mali, was a teacher for nine years, and he writes a lot about his personal experiences in the classroom. This is a short book with even shorter chapters, so it's a quick read. It would make a nice gift for college graduates who plan on going into teaching and something they can look back on during the trying times they will eventually come upon in their teaching career so that they can remember why they went into teaching in the first place.
February 5, 2016
Eh. Sure, I'm a teacher, so I inherently agree with some, if not much, of what Mali says here. I just find him a bit too... full of himself in this book. His self-congratulatory tone seems to be the norm, and then it seems that he tries to shrug that off with a self-deprecating remark here and there. Meh.
Oh, and the whole "I don't let my students leave my room for a drink of water or to use the bathroom, because I know they're just trying to get out of work" attitude? Yeah, you lost my respect at that point. Would you ever tolerate being told that you could not leave a meeting if you had to take a pee? Not a chance.
Oh, and the whole "I don't let my students leave my room for a drink of water or to use the bathroom, because I know they're just trying to get out of work" attitude? Yeah, you lost my respect at that point. Would you ever tolerate being told that you could not leave a meeting if you had to take a pee? Not a chance.
March 8, 2025
This book. This book is one I carry like a bible. This is the REASON I wanted to be a teacher, Taylor, an amazing poet, took the words from my heart and put them into a poem. A poem that became popular and a poem that is the core of my soul. I give this book as a gift to my child's teachers, to my teacher friends because some days are rough but we know what teachers make and its what makes us a teacher.
October 9, 2015
Es un libro corto e inspirador, no sé que tanta relación con la profesión de profesor tenga la gente pero yo me siento cercana, tuve muchos buenos maestros, mis papás son maestros, quien me lo prestó fue maestra de inglés un buen rato y yo misma lo fui por 6 meses cuando tenía 18 años jajaja
Es real, la educación es de lo más importante y es una lástima que no se valore como trabajo, el que escribió este libro es muy apasionado y tiene buenas historias que contar
Es real, la educación es de lo más importante y es una lástima que no se valore como trabajo, el que escribió este libro es muy apasionado y tiene buenas historias que contar
Want to read
November 24, 2011I CANNOT WAIT TO READ THIS ONE. Available in March 2012, but I knew my teacher friends would want to see this right away. Adding to list now. . .
April 25, 2015
Everyone should read this-- not just teachers.
July 9, 2015
Great book for teachers ... Easy to read !!!
January 8, 2016
I absolutely loved this book! Taylor Mali is an extraordinary inspiration to all teachers, and opens the eyes of those who don't know what teachers really do. Thank you for the inspiration, Taylor :)
June 5, 2020
Mali's passion for teachers is matched by few in our society both for teachers or for any other good cause, and it's really cool to read his work and see his heart on something that I'm also very passionate about. This is what education is all about, and obviously his viral poem of the same name is one of the greatest works of poetry literally ever, so I applaud him for that.
This particular book was good, especially with certain chapters where he drives home different aspects of the teaching experience and shows how teaching affected him, affected his students, and really covers all angles. I felt that it lacked an overall flow other than to just start throwing out random points about teaching at different odd intervals, but I think that's okay. I was more put off than anything by some political points he made, specifically about being a leftie, gay adoption rights, and a line about God not existing. These were small components, but as someone thinking about giving this book as a gift to teachers, they seemed sufficiently divisive to avoid. If it's not related to your main point about teachers, who would you throw it in?
Still, his main message about the case for teachers, better allocation of teacher resources, and the need in our society to fundamentally focus on educators is really powerful and well done in a concise but meaningful way and I'd still recommend it for those reasons.
This particular book was good, especially with certain chapters where he drives home different aspects of the teaching experience and shows how teaching affected him, affected his students, and really covers all angles. I felt that it lacked an overall flow other than to just start throwing out random points about teaching at different odd intervals, but I think that's okay. I was more put off than anything by some political points he made, specifically about being a leftie, gay adoption rights, and a line about God not existing. These were small components, but as someone thinking about giving this book as a gift to teachers, they seemed sufficiently divisive to avoid. If it's not related to your main point about teachers, who would you throw it in?
Still, his main message about the case for teachers, better allocation of teacher resources, and the need in our society to fundamentally focus on educators is really powerful and well done in a concise but meaningful way and I'd still recommend it for those reasons.
April 10, 2019
This book earns a bonus star from me because my copy is signed by the author himself and it keeps me from having to print out his poem "What Teachers Make" myself because it's in the book.
As Mali writers straightaway in his introduction, "This book exists because of a poem." That is both the book's greatest reward and its greatest flaw.
My favorite parts are the sections that provide one of Mali's poems as well as the backstory of its creation. The other parts, most of which discuss the general experience, problems, and hope for solutions of the education industry, didn't stick with me as much. Granted, I found those bits totally agreeable in spirit, so there's always the implicit boost of "WHAT?! YOU MEAN I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO FEELS THIS WAY??!!" but I didn't get anything I didn't already know or think, so they seemed like filler to me. Maybe I just read it during the difficult time for teachers, two-thirds to three-quarters through the school year, and it's difficult to mellow my harsh, but still, I would have preferred more poetry, less preaching to the choir.
As Mali writers straightaway in his introduction, "This book exists because of a poem." That is both the book's greatest reward and its greatest flaw.
My favorite parts are the sections that provide one of Mali's poems as well as the backstory of its creation. The other parts, most of which discuss the general experience, problems, and hope for solutions of the education industry, didn't stick with me as much. Granted, I found those bits totally agreeable in spirit, so there's always the implicit boost of "WHAT?! YOU MEAN I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO FEELS THIS WAY??!!" but I didn't get anything I didn't already know or think, so they seemed like filler to me. Maybe I just read it during the difficult time for teachers, two-thirds to three-quarters through the school year, and it's difficult to mellow my harsh, but still, I would have preferred more poetry, less preaching to the choir.
April 8, 2020
Do you have a teacher that made a positive impact on your life?
“What Teachers Make,” by Taylor Mali, is a response to those who try to discredit teachers and their work. At a dinner party, a very rude guest asked Mali if teachers actually do anything important. Mali responded by writing the poem “What Teachers Make,” which he later turned in to a book. If you want to see the poem, “What Teachers Make,” it can be found on YouTube. Mali is a former teacher who now advocates for teachers. He gives motivational talks with the goal of inspiring 1,000 people to become teachers.
(Book 21 of 100) I first learned about this book in my introduction to education class. The poem “What Teachers Make” was very inspiring and I immediately wanted to pick up a copy of the book. In this book, Mali gives his thoughtful insight into what makes a good teacher and how they can positively affect students’ lives. I give this book a 5/5-star rating. I recommend this book for those who are in an educational profession.
“What Teachers Make,” by Taylor Mali, is a response to those who try to discredit teachers and their work. At a dinner party, a very rude guest asked Mali if teachers actually do anything important. Mali responded by writing the poem “What Teachers Make,” which he later turned in to a book. If you want to see the poem, “What Teachers Make,” it can be found on YouTube. Mali is a former teacher who now advocates for teachers. He gives motivational talks with the goal of inspiring 1,000 people to become teachers.
(Book 21 of 100) I first learned about this book in my introduction to education class. The poem “What Teachers Make” was very inspiring and I immediately wanted to pick up a copy of the book. In this book, Mali gives his thoughtful insight into what makes a good teacher and how they can positively affect students’ lives. I give this book a 5/5-star rating. I recommend this book for those who are in an educational profession.
June 18, 2023
Showing some love for teachers 🍎
Probably best known for his poem, which shares this book’s title, Taylor Mali is one of the fiercest and most honest advocates for teachers that I’ve ever encountered. A former teacher himself, Mali’s love and respect for teachers is distilled through his passion and dedication to students.
In this brief book comprised of short chapters with some poems sprinkled throughout, Mali shares insightful anecdotes that illustrate the foundations of his pedagogy, which is rather straightforward—believe in every student, do NOT give up, challenge students to achieve more than they think they can, and make a difference.
And although some of his ideas might inspire teachers to develop new lessons or projects, the real joy in reading this book is knowing that someone out there truly understands and appreciates the complex work that teachers do.
P.S. – If you’re not familiar with his poem, you can easily find videos online of one of his recitals of it—a genuine treat.
Probably best known for his poem, which shares this book’s title, Taylor Mali is one of the fiercest and most honest advocates for teachers that I’ve ever encountered. A former teacher himself, Mali’s love and respect for teachers is distilled through his passion and dedication to students.
In this brief book comprised of short chapters with some poems sprinkled throughout, Mali shares insightful anecdotes that illustrate the foundations of his pedagogy, which is rather straightforward—believe in every student, do NOT give up, challenge students to achieve more than they think they can, and make a difference.
And although some of his ideas might inspire teachers to develop new lessons or projects, the real joy in reading this book is knowing that someone out there truly understands and appreciates the complex work that teachers do.
P.S. – If you’re not familiar with his poem, you can easily find videos online of one of his recitals of it—a genuine treat.
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