No matter how hard you try, there will always be some students you won't be able to reach or teach. Don't get discouraged. Instead, do the very best you can and try every approach you can think of to educate the student. And, always keep the student as the focus. Be sure not to beat yourself up over what you might perceive as failure; you might be making more of an impact than you think.

Don’t work yourself into a frenzy every day. Take part of your break time for yourself. It is tempting to use every bit of your spare time to prepare for class or check papers. Instead, relax for a while with a cup of coffee or soda. Five or 10 minutes of down time can make so much difference in your stress level. You and your students will be better for it.

Great teachers, especially those who teach elementary students, have the sense of wonder and joy of life that is the province of children. They also have a great love of learning and a thirst for knowledge themselves. If they have that, they have also the fullness of the proverb “find work you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.”