The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life.
\nOne man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education.
\nHe argued, ‘What’s a kid going to learn from
\nsomeone who decided his best option in life was to become
\na teacher?’
\nHe reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers:
\n‘Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.’
\nTo emphasize his point he said to another guest;
\n‘You’re a teacher, Bonnie.
\nBe honest.. What do you make?’
\nBonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness
\nreplied, ‘You want to know what I make? (She paused
\nfor a second, then began…)
\n‘Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought
\nthey could.
\nI make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor.<\/p>\n
I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when
\ntheir parents can’t make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game
\nCube or movie rental.
\n“You want to know what I make.” (She paused
\nagain and looked at each and every person at the table.)<\/p>\n
”I make kids wonder. I make them question. I make them
\napologize and mean it. I make them have respect and take responsibility for
\ntheir actions. I teach them to write and then I make them write..<\/p>\n
Keyboarding isn’t everything. I make them read, read, read. I make
\nthem show all their work in math. They use
\ntheir God-given brain, not the man-made calculator. I make my students
\nfrom other countries learn everything
\nthey need to know in English while preserving their unique
\ncultural identity. I make my classroom a place where all my students feel
\nsafe.. I make my students stand, placing their hand over their
\nheart to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, One Nation Under God,
\nbecause we live in the United States of America. I make them
\nunderstand that if they use the gifts they were
\ngiven, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life.’
\n(Bonnie paused one last time, then continued.)
\n‘Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with
\nme knowing money isn’t everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no
\nattention because they are ignorant… You want to know what I make?
\nI MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
\nWhat do you make Mr. CEO?’
\nHis jaw dropped, he went silent.<\/p>\n
Author Unknown<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, ‘What’s a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?’ He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers: ‘Those […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[17],"tags":[92,174,175],"class_list":["post-200","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bapresents","tag-education","tag-teaching","tag-visually-impaired"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s6rcRg-189","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4131,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=4131","url_meta":{"origin":200,"position":0},"title":"TVI Toolbox: A Conversation with Keith Ford l- Retired Teacher of the Blind and Visually Impaired and Orientation and Mobility Instructor (Transcript Provided)","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"December 12, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Show Summary: (Full Transcript Below) Please welcome Teen correspondent, Simon Bonenfant, as he steps into the interviewer role for Blind Abilities. While attending and presenting at the Pennsylvania NFB convention, Simon pulled out his recorder and went to work. Conducting 5 interviews from vendors and presenters. In this interview, Simon\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "BlindAbilities Presents"","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4202,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=4202","url_meta":{"origin":200,"position":1},"title":"PACER Center: Letting Them Grow \u2013 Transitioning from Youth to Adulthood – A Conversation with Parents Barb Ziemke and Kate Reinicke (Transcript Provided)","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"December 21, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Show Summary: (Full Transcript Below) In partnership with State Services for the Blind of Minnesota we are proud to present, PACER Center - Champions for Children with Disabilities.\u00a0 Barb and Kate sit down with Jeff Thompson of Blind Abilities in the sixth of a series of podcasts in partnership with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "BlindAbilities Presents"","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1801,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=1801","url_meta":{"origin":200,"position":2},"title":"Teen Cast Articles on Blindness by Radio Talking Book with Chapters","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"December 2, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Radio Talking book brings us 4 articles related to Blindness. The Radio Talking Book Network is part of State Services for the Blind and you can get the complete RTB broadcasts at www.MNSSB.org\/RTB and the password is RTB. The following podcast was recorded for use by customers of Minnesota\u2019s State\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"RadioTalkingBook\"","block_context":{"text":"RadioTalkingBook","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?tag=radiotalkingbook"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3858,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=3858","url_meta":{"origin":200,"position":3},"title":"Learning the Skill of Self-Advocacy: Meet PACER Center’s Transition and Employment Specialist Erika Theiler (Transcript Provided)","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"August 21, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Learning the Skill of Self-Advocacy: Meet PACER Center's Transition and Employment Specialist Erika Theiler Full Transcript Below PACER Center - Champions for Children with Disabilities: A Visit with National Parents Center on Transition and Employment Specialist Erika Theiler In partnership with State Services for the Blind of Minnesota we are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "BlindAbilities Presents"","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4821,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=4821","url_meta":{"origin":200,"position":4},"title":"Just Wait Until He Realizes You’re Blind – Blog Post by Kelsi Hansen","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"April 4, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"As a blind parent, people say and do things, that they otherwise wouldn\u2019t to a sighted parent. They are trying to be helpful, or funny, and for the most part I don\u2019t sweat about it. But there is one thing people say that tends to upset me, and I don\u2019t\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Blog"","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=239"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7626,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=7626","url_meta":{"origin":200,"position":5},"title":"STEM Education for the BVI is Going Inclusive – Sara Robberson Lentz, STEM Education\u00a0\u00a0Officer at AUI and COO, Head of Partnerships at Tumble media, Shares the Excitement\u00a0","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"September 9, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Full Transcript Below Podcast Summary: Sara Robberson Lentz, STEM Education\u00a0\u00a0Officer at AUI and COO and Head of Partnerships at Tumble media, joined Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities Studio with some exciting news for STEM education, accessibility and representation in STEM fields for the BVI. The National Science Foundation (NSF)\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "BlindAbilities Presents"","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=200"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/200\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=200"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=200"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=200"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}