What I found most rewarding about teaching was building relationships with students, particularly the difficult ones that other people had given up on. I became a teacher to connect with those kids, because I had been one of them.My personal barometer for success was when I realized that those difficult students were suddenly giving me a hug or coming by between classes just to see me. I knew I had gotten through to them and could help them build their confidence and see their own value in the world.
