The authors--directors of the Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program that recruits new teachers to help students in high-needs schools learn math and science--gave participants in their program the chance to present a metaphor or symbol for good teaching. Each novice teacher presented an artifact or image and described what that artifact represented to them about good teaching and how they hoped to practice it. The article shares the artifacts presented by five novice teachers--a running shoe; a photo of a marathon; a photo of a walk in the woods; sea glass; and a battery, magnet and copper wire--and how each novice connected that artifact to a personal vision of good teaching and to teaching goals. The authors tell how they responded to each presentation by asking questions and suggesting strategies or approaches each novice might try to strengthen their teaching.