If you ask any teacher, they’ll likely say the most rewarding part of the job is watching children learn and grow—and I wholeheartedly agree. My most meaningful moments come when a child gains new skills that help them connect with others and express their needs in functional, socially appropriate ways. One of my favorite experiences was working with a non-verbal child with autism in a Head Start classroom. Over the course of a year, with the support of a dedicated team and family collaboration, he transitioned from using self-injurious behaviors to communicate to using words to express himself. Watching him develop the ability to communicate and seeing those challenging behaviors completely extinguish was nothing short of incredible. It was a powerful reminder of the resilience children possess when given the right tools, support, and encouragement.