Teaching requires an educator to be able to readjust and be flexible in their teaching methods based on student inspiration. The teacher's job is to educate students while determining their interests, who they are and where they come from; set realistic goals for each student; and accepting only their best work and best efforts. These are just three of the many qualities that an effective teacher must acquire. Teachers have the power to shape the lives of their students and that takes passion. Be an educator who will make a difference despite difficult conditions. Ms. Gruwell did not let her students' lives fall prey to a self-fulfilling prophecy. She was able to give students a new perspective on what life could be like by providing them with opportunities they never had in the past. She broadened the students' horizons and showed them that no mountain was too high or valley too low to get to the place they wanted.