This book offers inspiration and encouragement to any person who may have lost sight of the rewards of teaching from a teacher who was the 1997 Teacher of the Year. It features essays, conversations, and poems that can provide a boost when teachers need one. The chapters are: "First Days--My First Days of School, as a Student Teacher, as a Teacher"; "Dear Friend: A Letter to Prospective Teachers"; "Help!: I'm Going to be a Student Teacher!"; "A Guide for Student Teachers: An Honest Translation of the Language in Your Assessment Package"; "The Story of a School Year: The Cycle of Life"; "Advice to a First-Year Teacher: 'They're All LOOKING at Me'"; "Candles: Light Your Candles and Let Them Shine"; "Involvement with Students: Romeo and Juliet"; "There's No Such Thing as 'Just a Teacher!'"; "One Class: Thirty Reasons Why You Teach"; "Power: The Power to Dream"; "Butterflies and Possibilities: The Story of Tony"; "The Needs of Children: 'A Wide Sea and a Small Boat'"; "The Gift of Time: Of Heroes and Hopes"; "Renewal: Not Quite Burned Out, but Crispy Around the Edges"; "Technology: 'I Touch the Future; I Teach'"; "The Table in the Teachers' Lounge: A Monument to All of Us"; "Professionalism in Teaching: Formal Notes and Informal Memories on the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards"; "Teaching and Writing: The 'Draper Paper' and Beyond"; "National Teacher of the Year: So Proud To Be a Teacher"; "World Teaching: From Moscow to Ethiopia"; and "The Touch of a Teacher: We Make a Difference." (SM)