I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity each year to share my thoughts about education and school climate with thousands of teachers and school administrators and in turn to learn from their insights and experiences—to hear about the joys and purpose that are associated with teaching as well as the many frustrations that are part of the educational scene in today’s world. Although I speak at schools and/or school districts throughout the year, I especially do so during the month of August and the first week or two of September prior to the beginning of the new school year. In the past few weeks my presentations have emphasized themes I have addressed for a number of years, namely, the mindset and practices of educators who truly touch the hearts and minds of students. I have highlighted the lifelong impact that teachers have on students, on their hopes and dreams, their motivation to learn, and their capacity to confront setbacks and challenges and become resilient. To illustrate this impact I ask teachers to recall images of their own teachers when they were students and the influence these teachers had on their lives. I ask them to consider the words they…
