Rita Pierson, a teacher for 40 years, once heard a colleague say, “They don’t pay me to like the kids.” Her response: “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.'” A rousing call to educators to believe in their students and actually connect with them on a real, human, personal level. She taught at elementary high school, junior high school and special educational level Institute, and was known for being a popular counselor, coordinator and an assistant principal.