Educator Bell Hooks acknowledged the fundamental truth that teaching, caring, and transformation are closely linked, that is, that true teaching must be accompanied by a deep level of care in order for learning to take place. No matter how young or old, no matter the subject matter, and no matter where teaching and learning take place--a classroom, library, place of worship, or community setting--students instinctively know whether a teacher cares for them or not. In this brief article, the author reiterates some of the most important lessons she has learned from caring and courageous educators, as well as from her own experiences teaching--first, young people and, later, prospective and practicing teachers. Although she focuses on the personal commitments of educators, she wants to make it clear that teaching cannot be separated from larger institutional practices and ideological realities in society, that is, from the sociopolitical context of education. As educators--be they classroom teachers, school librarians, administrators, policymakers, or others--strive to create caring communities, they must also struggle to create a just society.