I took out my headphones, put my hair behind my ears, sat up straight and took a long deep breath.
this is an email I have been waiting for, sitting on gmail pressing refresh for, and now that I was in a public English lab I had to keep my composure.
I opened the email and read...
Dear Courtney,
Congratulations and bless you! I'm writing to tell you that I have
officially added you to the list of people I have steered toward
becoming teachers. My goal since 2000, as you know has been
to reach one thousand, and you just helped me get a little closer
to it. You are teacher #0382.
From the bottom of my heart and the top of my lungs I thank you
for the noble path you have chosen to follow. You make a difference.
Metaphorically yours,
Taylor Mali
"He who dares to teach must never cease to learn."
ç”±ichard Henry Dann
I twirled out of my rolling chair, leaving every single belonging behind (including laptop, wallet, phone, everything...trusting my 'nobody steals here' hopes) and whisked out of the door. A mini YES YES YESSSSSS dance in the hall was followed by a chipper leap back into lab.
For those who don't know, Taylor Mali is a 4-time slam poet champion and retired teacher (He also stars in the movie SlamNation which is about slam poetry) not to mention a huge idol of mine. The man is amazing.
9 years ago he made a goal to create 1000 new teachers using poetry, persuasion, and perseverance and today I was chosen as his #382!!!!!
If you go to the website with his goal on it, it will say so far he has 382 teachers. (Im #382 woo woooooo yeaaa)
and you can read my entry under The Teachers link.
I am just so excited that I got an email from this man that has inspired me in so many ways and who I have really obsessed over haha
Taylor Mali's most famous and inspiring poem can be watched here on youtube.
and I highly recommend watching more of his stuff. He really is incredible.
Well, Teacher #382 has homework to do...
read the verdict

