I have been teaching for 18 years. I have taught 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades. People often ask which of these is my favorite. That's almost impossible to choose! The joy you find in an 8 year old as he learns to multiply is just as wonderful as the achievement you see in an 11 year old's smile as she completes a report on the Civil War. Being in the middle of learning is my favorite thing.