ABSTRACT
As a teacher, one knows the main thing that keeps most teachers ticking. Even those on the brim of burnout have the solution, it is not the paycheck or the summer "vacation". Some teachers may tear up, while others may grab the kid and give a big bear hug. The payoff comes from the appreciation of their students. All teachers know that they did not become teachers to get rich. But they find that they become quite wealthy in terms of the love, fulfillment, and friendships they acquire. One word of thanks can carry teachers for days. Teaching is a profession in which teachers don't receive many accolades. Other teachers offer support, and administrators will occasionally boast about the group of teachers as a whole, but often the only thanks they get is a word here and there from their students or former students.
