Teaching is one of those occupations with little immediate tangible result. My husband is a builder. He can step back when the job is done and say, "There, I built that school. I rocked that fireplace. See what I did."

At the end of my day, there isn't much to show for my efforts except a messy desk of tasks yet to be completed. My rewards come from the little things, those few and far between moments when the twinkle shows in a student's eye, those quick hugs or comments, that occasional note from a student or parent.

We wonder why the retention rate for new teachers is low. We wonder why the best and brightest of our graduates do not choose to become teachers. We wonder why once in a classroom, the toils of the job chase them looking for other positions quickly.

I wonder if we found ways to show teachers their worth, the impact they are making, and that they are valued by society in general, I wonder if we could change that problem? How could we make the rewards more tangible and immediate??