Slam+Poetry

1. Search "Taylor Mali" on Youtube. Listen and watch to several poems. Choose one that you understand and that "speaks" to you.

2. Create a new page on your wiki called “Slam Poetry”
 * 1) embed the video onto your page.
 * 2) On your page discuss the use of poetic devises. Discuss the overall meaning of the poem (theme). Discuss why you choose this poem. Identify key words and phrases. Of course, use specific examples from the poem!


 * hint you may be able to find the text for your poem on his website.

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What Teachers Make, or Objection Overruled, or  If things don't work out, you can always go to law school

By Taylor Mali [|www.taylormali.com]

He says the problem with teachers is, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?" He reminds the other dinner guests that it's true what they say about teachers: Those who can, do; those who can't, teach. I decide to bite my tongue instead of his and resist the temptation to remind the other dinner guests that it's also true what they say about lawyers. Because we're eating, after all, and this is polite company. "I mean, you¹re a teacher, Taylor," he says. "Be honest. What do you make?" And I wish he hadn't done that (asked me to be honest) because, you see, I have a policy about honesty and ass-kicking: if you ask for it, I have to let you have it. You want to know what I make? 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. How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best. I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall in absolute silence. No, you may not work in groups. No, you may not ask a question. Why won't I let you get a drink of water? Because you're not thirsty, you're bored, that's why. I make parents tremble in fear when I call home: I hope I haven't called at a bad time, I just wanted to talk to you about something Billy said today. Billy said, "Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don't you?" And it was the noblest act of courage I have ever seen. I make parents see their children for who they are and what they can be. 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, write, write. And then I make them read. I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful 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. I make them understand that if you got this (brains) then you follow this (heart) and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, you give them this (the finger). Let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true: I make a goddamn difference! What about you?

Taylor Mali uses many poetic devices in his slam poetry; "What Teachers Make." The metaphors used would be ex. " I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional Medal of Honour.." and " An A- feel like a slap in the face if the student did not do his or her very best." This part of the poem I can picture clearly because I to have felt those feelings he describes. These lines show that if you put your all in school you will then continue on to be successful in life. Employers look to hire successful people who have showed hard work and strength's in pushing yourself to succeed not people who had potential to do great things but they're marks showed otherwise making them less "attractive" to the E mployers eye. Students who may struggle in a subject and usually gets C's could feel like they had just won the lottery or just the feeling you get after you work hard and push yourself and you achieve/ accomplish your goals. For the second line that could be for students who had the potential of a A but were to lazy to proof read and that knocked them down to an A- which tells them that if they would of gone that extra step to complete the project they would have an A sitting in front of them, but they don't. Also in this poem their are hyperboles. The hyperboles in this poem " I hope I haven't called at a bad time." Taylor Mali was suggesting something bad was about to be said, he said this in the poem because he talked about how he makes the parents whimper and tremble as the thoughts go through their head of what could of happened or what they're child could have done wrong but he turns it around and says " I hope I haven't called at a bad time,

I just wanted to talk to you about something Billy said today.

Billy said, "Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don't you?" And it was the noblest act of courage I have ever seen." Now this poem is very excellent and one of Taylor Mali's most famous with loads of hidden poetic devices. This poem is really an encouragement and inspiration to every teacher walking the face of this earth, I believe it was apart of his "12-year quest to convince 1,000 people to become teachers." It is a demonstration of how important teachers jobs really are, If there were no teachers the education of the youth would be horrible and the youth would not have as much help as they need to   succeed. Teachers are known to have low salaries that they do not always agree with, but a lot of teachers are appreciated and acknowledged for their teachings. ' What Teachers Make ' described how Mr. Mali did not consider the salary he gets paid to be low to him because what he truly thinks he earns is being able to pass on his knowledge and setting children right and helping them succeed, that is his life and dream. This poem is hoped to engage many teachers to continue or become a teacher because of the wonderful perks and responsibility they acquire despite how little of a salary they do get payed.  ' What Teachers Make' shows respect to all the teachers that are trapped inside their classrooms working they're butt of for 6 hours every day for such a little salary but that the salary should not effect the teachers job, because if the teacher was a true teacher they would be more concerned on how they're students excelled and how they could help them continue to excel not how much they make that is why I chose this poem. Teachers always earn my respect. Many teachers help to tend many needs of the youth, ".. make kids wonder.. make them question.. make them criticize.. make them apologize and mean it.. make them write! write! write!." Teachers have helped me through so much over the years, taught me many important life skills, helped me excel at hard times some things other adults could not do. I think some teachers demand a pay raise because they feel that they deserve more for the big task at their hands but I respect the teachers who agree and want a pay raise but go up and beyond that and realize that its about the students not everything in this world revolves around money. Excellent content Nicole. Good use of examples to support your points. 30/36