Part I of this book contains invited essays on the subject of teaching by six professional educators who are regarded as experts in their fields. The papers are: (1) "In Praise of Teachers" (Mark Medoff); (2) "What Makes a Good Teacher" (Donald C. Roush); (3) "A Distant Teacher" (David L. Colton); (4) "Characteristics of Good Teachers" (Barbara J. Simmons); (5) "Teachers Make the Difference" (Dewayne A. Matthews); (6) "On the Subject of Teaching" (Alan D. Morgan). The second part is made up of 137 testimonials from a variety of responsible people who were asked to comment on teachers in elementary, secondary, and/or higher education who made a difference in their lives. Part III contains observations on the patterns that emerge from the testimonials published in Part II. Findings are related to research results from a study based on the approach of asking excellent teachers about themselves and their practice. A brief summary of data with observations concludes this section of the book. An Epilogue follows containing the authors' tributes to teachers who they feel made a difference in their lives. (JD)