College teachers can act as intermediaries between a class and a body of knowledge by making three important contributions: structure, evaluation, and support. The teacher's task is to keep the student's initial drive and enthusiasm intact while thwarting the desire to be content with easy answers. Teachers need to encourage a critical outlook and introduce students to examples of excellence. Although lectures present results and leave students with a clearly defined conceptual universe, a greater sense of personal discovery is possible in a discussion. Therefore, the sequence--lecture, lab, discussion--forms a pedagogical continuum that best facilitates learning. In addition to facilitating structured discussions, teachers can facilitate learning by serving as models of qualities such as honesty, perseverance, self-discipline, and service to an ideal. Good teaching does make a difference by inducing students to demand more of themselves, leading them to new ways of solving problems, awakening unsuspected talents, and inspiring students to become caring, creative, and thoughtful. (LH)