Teaching requires an educator to be able to readjust and be flexible in their teaching methods by taking cues from students. The teacher's job is to educate students by identifying their interests, who they are and where they come from; set realistic goals for each student; and accepting only their best work and efforts. These are just three of the many qualities that an effective teacher must acquire. Educators have the power to shape the lives of their students, and it takes passion. Be an educator who will make a difference despite harsh conditions. Mrs. Gruwell did not let her students' lives fall under 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 had never had in the past. It broadened the students' horizons and showed them that no mountain was too high and no valley was too low to reach the place they wanted.