I asked current and former educators for advice they'd give a beginning teacher. Space limitations make it impossible to include all the responses, but here are some.

"Listen to your students. Really listen and talk to them, not at them." —Jodi McKinnon, Lake Placid Middle School

"Plan, prepare, adapt — daily." —Joanne McGovern, Schenectady

"A beginning teacher should keep in mind the profound impact they have by investing in students personally, getting to know them, and building trust." —Scott Osborne, principal, Peru Central School

"Understand the impact that you have on every student — that you ARE the silver bullet, and more importantly, understand the mechanics of literacy "¦ from phonics to deep comprehension." —Justin Stygles, Oxford, Maine.

"Listen to and be kind, considerate, and decent to every person you work with during the day: students, fellow teachers, janitors, secretaries, cafeteria workers, principals, bus drivers, and parents." —Chris Bigelow, retired, Massena Central School

"Remember, every day, that the students are somebody's children, the most precious gift we are given." —Julia Miller, Peru Central.

"You'll hear a lot about tests and performance indicators and standards, and these are important, but at the end of the day, what will matter most to your students is that you listened to them and treated them with kindness." —Kate Messner, Stafford Middle School.

"Every great teacher has a natural and specific style that has nothing to do with content and everything to do with their success in the classroom; find your style and work it — don't try to be someone you aren't." —Jennifer Lee, Baltimore.

"A good teacher teaches children, not subjects." —Eileen Jordan, Sea Cliff

"See children not just as students, but line up their family behind them in your mind and know that the child comes into the classroom with real life experiences that may enhance or complicate learning." —Kelly LaFranca, Peru Central

BE HAPPY
"Reach out and ask for a mentor at your grade level — the support, experience and understanding they provide is invaluable." —Pat Nagler, Boise, ID

"If no experienced educator is assigned to guide and advise you, find one (or more) whose wisdom will ease your first years and make you a better teacher sooner." —Connie Miller, retired, Peru Central

"Your goal for each child is progress. You won't bat 100 percent, but if you make progress, then you've made a difference." —Kathy McGuire, retired, Tempe, Ariz.

"Every single day remind yourself that you will touch the lives of many students who will never express their gratitude." —John O'Toole, retired, Massapequa

"The best way to avoid discipline problems in your classroom is to be interesting." —Steve Gratto, principal, Northeastern Clinton Central School.

"Teaching is not really about tests, data, curriculum, grades, or professional recognition. Teaching is knowing that I can make a difference to each student in my class every single day." —Tracey Howard, Peru Central

"Show more than you tell; and don't forget to listen." —Chuck Hotchkiss, Cape Cod

"Happy teachers make happy students; be sure your smile and their laughter are part of every lesson plan." —Tom Loughan, retired, Peru Central

"What you do is not about you but those you serve." —Bob Cox, retired, Phoenix

"Don't try to remake each student from scratch. Find each student's skills and background, and work from there." —Don Miller, retired, Peru Central

"Never underestimate the capacity for cruelty among kids." —Tom Casey, West Islip

"You will never regret being kind as you teach your students "¦ Besides, you don't know which one will be in charge of your medical care someday." —Pat Loughan, retired, Peru Central

"The child you send to time out every day will grow up to be the dentist who does your root canal." —Bonnie Shimko, retired, Peru Central

Jerry McGovern, the Press-Republican's coordinator of Newspapers-in-Education, taught in New York state's public schools, and now teaches in the Communication Department of Plattsburgh State. He can be reached at gmcgovern@pressrepublican.com or 565-4126. This column is the opinion of the writer and not necessarily of this newspaper.