Well-trained, enthusiastic teachers are perennially needed to instruct America's young people, and this need is expected to grow larger in the future. This book explores the daily routines, rewards, and challenges of a career in grades K–12 or early education. It describes many of the options within the field and the paths to becoming a certified teacher. There is a chapter that describes the skills and personal qualities needed by teachers, so that aspiring educators can determine whether the career is a good match. Casual readers will be able to relate the text to their own experiences in school and gain a greater appreciation for the work that their teachers do each day.