This volume lays out the human factors involved in effective teaching and encourages both future teachers and current practitioners to cultivate the personal and professional qualities found in the kind of teachers they want to be. The single most important factor in a teacher's effectiveness is described as his or her unique style of interaction and personality. The book is organized into nine chapters that cover the following topics: (1) the essence of what makes a teacher truly great--those human qualities and characteristics that inspire others; (2) teachers as fully functioning human beings and how the modeling process takes place; (3) obstacles that make a teaching career a challenge; (4) developing helpful relationships; (5) effective verbal and nonverbal communication; (6) the skills needed to reach students on multiple levels; (7) the predictable stresses and strains that teachers often experience in their careers and advice on ways to remain committed to teaching; (8) challenges to practicing and prospective teachers to become more reflective as they evolve as professionals; and (9) an invitation to teachers to create an image of the persons and professionals they want to be. (Contains approximately 80 references and 40 suggested readings.) (LL)