I always thought that a person had to be super intelligent to be a teacher. However, my feelings have changed. Yes, a teacher must have a level of knowledge but, more importantly, the willingness to learn. Education is constantly changing and not all students are the same, so to be a teacher a person must want to be a lifelong learner. I believe that excellence in teaching means building an authentic relationship with your students. Students are very perceptive and know when a relationship is superficial. When I reflect on my experience, I am reminded of my high school agriculture teacher. We had a good relationship. At first he saw that I was a hard worker, but he also saw in me a leader that I didn't see in myself. I will never forget his words: “Never sell yourself short. You have good qualities and it's not bragging." I believe that a good teacher can bring out qualities in a student that they may not know