I was a teacher for nine years, but not in a public school. I taught college freshmen, and then I taught middle school English, math, and history (at two private schools in the northeast). Of course, I'm still teaching these days; I teach a day here and a day there. Tomorrow I leave for a 10-day tour of the UAE where i will be teaching at three different schools. As for the moral high ground, I'm just naturally pompous.
I am currently in the middle of recieving my teaching credential. I have had some doubts whether or not this is the right profession for me, but watching you inspires me so much. THANK YOU!
Taylor Mali is one of the few slam poets I find consistently impressive and delightful. Every word is written and delivered perfectly, and he speaks the truth. Brava, Mr. Mali. Brava!
No wonder it rings "sort of true." I've just come out of 10+yrs at a state university, have passed these to friends &/or poets still there. Prospect of the 'Emirati': exciting? Daunting? 'Pompous'? You? Nah. Combative, perhaps; defensive, surely; full of humor, spittle, a kind of passion, sure. If pompous (I doubt you believe that), then you are to be envied for making it work for you. Thanks for the reply.
Man! Mr. Mali - I wish there were more teachers out there like you. I wish that more people out there understood that "teaching" is involves more than just "knowing". Teaching is ant art and a science with its own set of skills. You, sir, obviously have those skills in abundance. I have run into far too many "instructors" who may well "know" something - but who lacked the imagination, patience, and understanding of how to communicate that knowledge to their students. You, sir, rock.
For those of you without experience teaching, let me explain it to you: boys fight for show, girls fight for pain. Mr. Mali's way of expressing this is simple and effective. Boy fights usually last 2 punches and a bunch of wrestling on the ground. Girl fights don't end until blood is drawn. Part of it is protecting against possible incrimination, but part of it is just experience.
Our little clan of former English majors at William Jewell College are addicted to you. We carry around laptops on the way to church or class and digest and soak in your poetry...I'm studying to be a teacher and you're an inspiration, dude...my favorites are "Like Lily Like Wilson" and this one, here. You're awesome! Come to Jewell some time!
i love this! makes me re-think this whole teaching thing. my mom has been pushing me to be a teacher for as long as i can remember and, of course, i'm been pushing against it for just as long. but i love kids. i want to work with them and see them change. maybe i'm going to be a teacher after all. i don't know how to feel.
My science teacher read this at a poetry reading at my high school and he craked me up. he did all the expressions as you did! People like you are the reason i decided to become a writer and/or possible English teacher! I love your poetry! Where do you find your inspiration?
I am in 7th grade and we are studying Poems in Language Arts and my student teacher showed us and adio of this poem and Like Lilly Like Wilson my whole class was cracking up! You are so funny! My teacher is funny but your are way funner!
I really like these performance-poems. They ring sort of true, and yet you so consistently take to the moral high ground, that I have to wonder whether this is just a schtick, or are you working as a public school teacher?
god this guy is friekin amazing probably my favorite poet ever hoenstly if you haven't seen him reciting his "what teachers make" video, you HAVETA watch it. the first one that comes up when u search Taylor Mali
I had a teacher like him and it was the only thing that got me through high school...I took every class he taught, even if I didn't care about the content of the class. In fact, he's the reason i got into college.
This is why the ban on human cloning is so wrong. I've had teachers almost as great and passionate as Taylor Mali, and I've had teachers so dumb they'd serve the world better as doorstops and nothing else.
Taylor Mali, you are definitely NOT "just" a worker. And it's all because of you I spelled "definitely" correct in that sentence up there. Your poetry brings miracles upon us.
Bravo! Thanks for reminding me its more than paperwork and dealing with management politics. Shamefully, sometimes its easy to forget what actually matters. I applaude you sir.
I'd love to see you get in between two girls fighting it out. If he broke that up, its a sexual harassment suit just waiting to happen, welcome to the USA!!!!
The girl fighting part is the BEST part of this poem. I had one of those at school the other day. I took almost ALL of our security guards to break it up!
If 2 boys are fighting, I break it up. But if two girls are fighting, I wait until that shit is over and then I drag what's left to the nurse's office.
Taylor Mali is one of the few slam poets I find consistently impressive and delightful. Every word is written and delivered perfectly, and he speaks the truth. Brava, Mr. Mali. Brava!
I teach in baltimore city. I have had other jobs but this has been the first time in my life that I feel that it is more than a job. It truly is a calling and each day of summer as it passes I think about my kids. Thank you for rooting for us. Thank you for supporting us. Thank you for finding the words we all soon forget after all the pressure we face from parents, administrators, and government "officials." Your poem, "What Teachers Make" is my war cry and will be with me forever. Thanks
My father taught English to 7th and 8th graders for 35+ years. He passed away in January, and since then I have come here once or twice a week to listen to your poems about teachers. Through your words I can hear his voice again.
I can picture my teacher doing this! "Mr Sapienza, could I borrow a pen" "Mwooooooohhhhhh! You already have everything you require to succeed. Including a pen."
