New teachers have a high attrition rate, often due to concerns about classroom discipline, interactions with parents, meeting the diverse needs of students, and pressures of high academic standards. Teaching Is a Privilege offers beginning teachers twelve essential understandings necessary to meet these challenges and thrive in the classroom. The understandings are based on a core belief that teaching is a privilege worthy of continuous, thoughtful self-reflection and compassionate treatment of children and their families. The result is higher teacher morale and higher-achieving students. The book focuses on development of the relationship side of teaching-attitudes, perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors-which builds trust and translates into a positive classroom climate. The intention is to inspire new teachers to begin their professional lives with an informed, optimistic belief system that deepens their understanding of what is possible and then to provide them with ways to get there. The twelve essential understandings serve as the foundation of their teaching practices and ultimately lead to happy, high-achieving, respectful students, and an exemplary, personally satisfying teaching career.