Those Who Can't Teach (The Best Version)

I re-uploaded this and added something to make it better.

You know what they say

About those who can’t teach

Who fail to do

What you and I reach

“It’s all wrong!” they will cry

Like children left unattended

Crying how they know best

Of a craft never apprehended

For you see those who cannot will teach

And those who cannot teach will preach

About endless rules they themselves fail to follow

With their own word sounding stale and hollow

If a tale brings joy how could it be a failure

You sad pathetic critics whose own work sucked

Unless you have a story to tell

You can get ____!

Author's Note

The screenshot added is statistics from one of my projects by the title "Flame of Life." If you wanna call my card, go ahead and google it. It will be the first result. A ridiculous fan-fiction, with original characters, and plenty of typos and mistakes. Although I'm not as active as I was with the ongoing project, the lives I've been able to help and improve through the messages in the story are the greatest reward I could ever obtain.

This poem is dedicated to ALL "critics" who tell you "you can't write that way."

Well, I did. I wrote a hot mess of adventure, fun, and ridiculous situations.
1/3 of the people hate it.
1/3 of the people LOVE it.
1/3 of the people are indifferent.

No matter how good or bad your work is, all that matters is that you show up and make an honest attempt to creative something with passion.

I don't add this screenshot for clout. I added it to prove a point. That, and it's hard to argue against visible proof. By some form of metric, I would be considered "A successful writer." by numerical proof.

Don't just trust a critic because of their stature, or when they use inflated words to make themselves sound like they know what they're talking about. It a review or critic use absolutes, they don't know what they're talking about.

I don't have a problem with people offering constructive criticism. In fact, I love it. It tells me you engaged with what I wrote, and paid attention. But I DO have problems with predators who try to break you down without your knowing in order to take you under their wing, just to sell you their garbage services or products.

Reviews

[Schatz]

I got a real kick out of this one, Those Who Can't Teach, partly because I teach. (I’m a psychology professor in Denver.) I like how the next rung down from teaching is preaching.

I appreciate your note as well. I wrote a 100% dialogue-only novelette. One critic said simply that it does not work to write such a novelette because people DO THINGS; they don't just sit around and talk about it. Well, DO this: Go __ yourself!

[Kane Hagwood]

Generally speaking, I have a LOT of respect for those who teach in any capacity. I come from the understanding that the best way to learn is to listen and pay attention. I've found the value in being honest about the fact that I don't know a lot of things, but I know some things.

I think the major point of it all is that I'm sick of people telling me "you can't do that" when I've ALREADY done something. Cynical critics really just harm blossoming creators, and instead of acknowledging this fact, they tend to be smug about how they "owned" somebody over the internet.

Like you said: DO THINGS! Ha! Thank you so much for reviewing this piece!

[Schatz]

That you've already done it makes it even funnier.

[Kane Hagwood]

Oh, I agree! I wasn't sharing it to brag, I just legitimately think its funny. Just holding physical proof. It's kinda like "Trust me, I'm just as surprised as you are, but you don't know what the hell you're talking about."

As much as I want this poem to be buried and forgotten about, just to move on from the emotional charge. But like I mentioned to someone else, I'll be damned if I keep staying silent when "professionals" stifle young creatives. I've seen too much of that in the world already.

[Vol]

I too have been a teacher, and have had at least moderate success at everything I've done, from fixing my car, to carpentry, to farming, to sales, and when students left my class, my sophomores wrote essays as well as most college students at any level. I think you are speaking about teachers who can't teach, and schools so dumbed down by federal mandates, students are drowning in a sea of boredom.

[Kane Hagwood]

That pretty much sums it up. By no means am I trying to hate on teachers, because they already get too much flack as it is. I feel like many teachers in an academic sense are stuck between regulations and having to keep EVERYONE happy. Having to buy a majority of their own supplies, the late nights of grading papers, doing extra stuff because they really do care about the kids they teach.

I don't like people who cut into others without just cause. I've done enough fighting in my life to know that isn't the goal. Not for me, anyway. But like teachers, I too am caught between feeling like I need to keep everyone happy, while also telling it like it is. I originally took down the poem, because I felt it was petty to begin with. But, I was reminded that someone wanted numbers. Everybody seems to. I take personal pride in my accomplishments, but I've lost the desire to use them as a means to make others like me. There's no point. And it's silly.

But I wanted to prove a point, perhaps to myself. Half of success is showing up. I showed up. Here's proof of that, as silly as it might be.

Thank you for the wisdom and kindness, Vol.

[Vol]

In reality, I've done many things in my life, and worked for angry people, sad people, happy people, people, motivated people, and lazy people, EVERY work situation has a personality, and, even though there were some powerful exceptions, American public education's identifier is best described as dumb, I swear, I was embarrassed by their lack of critical thinking skills many more times than I was proud.

[Kane Hagwood]

Some of my friends who are teachers have told me stories that left me a little worried. I can only speak from distant experience, trying to remember what it was like being in school. I could always tell what teachers wanted to be there, and which ones really cared--who inspired even the "troubled" students to think critically.

I had a teacher, for multiple years for multiple different subjects. Fate seemed to have it that way. Her name is Ms. Clark, and I remember more about her than probably every other teacher I had. She WANTED to teach. She helped motivate us to think for ourselves. On holy hell, that woman put up with a lot of crap. All of my teachers growing up did.

I just wish the education system was structured better, and those that lead the administration actually cared. Perhaps some folks do, but with the state things are in, and the dangers kids already face in schools, no wonder we're behind.

[Vol]

One of the reasons I retired early was because, when I was in school, you got the grade you earned, when I left students got the grade the admin wanted you to give them, I was told to pass a kid who would not even take a test or even sign the paper... It was over-the-top unethical for me.

[Kane Hagwood]

Wow.... that's MESSED up. To not even bother showing up? To just SIGN a paper? It just feels like defeating the purpose of you being there. You were hired as a teacher, not a baby sitter. And you're right, you get the grade that you get. Some teachers might be more lenient than others, but I didn't realize it was like that at all. That feels soul crushing just hearing about that. I'm sorry you were shoved into a situation like that. I don't blame you for retiring early.

[Vol]

And we wonder why the world is in such a mess. The liberal arts in American education are dead, the concept of a "Renaissance Man" is gone.

[.]

I certainly understand your viewpoint in terms of listening to the advice of so-called experts. Most are largely unqualified to pass judgement on writing except from the viewpoint of a reader like all of us. In such cases, we all have our own preferences and opinions on what we like and don’t like. As long as you have the passion and always endeavour to improve to maximise your ability then that is all one can do. The rest is down to luck.

As regards posting stats about things you have written? Well…..for the most part such figures are of little relevance and as worthy as the number of FB friends one has or likes they have received on social media. Bowing at the altar of such numbers predisposes one to the dangers of ego. You’d be surprised how much a few digital numbers or a few digitalised emoji trophies can lead some people to fall into the trap of overstating their own abilities and talent. Same goes for the umpteen thousands that insist they are published writers or poets without ever having signed a deal with a publishing house of proper renown. It’s delusional to use such labels when one is not truly published in the real sense of the word. It is these types plus those that devotedly gloat about being published in some obscure nonsensical ‘publications’ like Woodcutters Weekly or Fisherman’s Fanatics and other such nonsense crap…… these are the people who are the most delusional and the most likely to knock the efforts of other people down. So be careful about bowing at the altar of ego for writing of any form should never be related to such.

If you have a passion for writing and sharing, keep writing and trying to raise your own bar but beware the pitfalls of ego. It’s a dirty word.

[Kane Hagwood]

Thank you for the review, Doodley. I completely agree with you on the majority of what you've said. People get so hung up on numbers, attention, and praise that they lose sight of why they began writing in the first place. I am more than willing to admit the poem is petty, because petty people want numbers. It tends to shut them up, or at the very least gives them a reason to be foolish about something else.

I'd take what you said one step further. I think it's silly for anyone to brag that they're published in general. It goes right back to "worshiping at the shrine of ego." I'm self published, and I'm personally proud of that. I don't really need to feel the need to try and talk myself up or parade the fact to others. Even if I landed some crazy book deal (which I'm not sure I would even want) bragging about it really takes away the entire point of why I started writing in the first place.

Thank you for the warning, but I've already stepped in many traps "success" (even on a modest scale) can bring. And thank you for taking the time to share your perspective.

I'm most proud of the work I put into the project, not the numbers I showed. It was to prove a point:

People told me I couldn't write a certain way for years, I did, and it apparently worked. The success I had came from showing up and putting my heart into what I did, not because I followed some writing method someone sold me at a conference, sounding just like everyone else.

Thank you for kindness. I personally just want this poem to be buried and forgotten about, but I'll be damned if I silence myself any longer in regards to those who stifle young creatives.

[living lavender]

added to favorites. check.
the wordplay is powerful. yet. not as grand as the emotion seeping out.
this piece. brilliant.