Every aspect of your teaching will be shaped by the role you want to play in the mentorship and development of your students. Every nuts-and-bolts teaching strategy, even the most practical advice about lecturing or writing exams, serves the goal of helping you become the kind of teacher who has inspired you. Below are some examples of some of the highest teaching goals to remind you that great teaching is more than a handful of teaching tricks strung together with modest aims and sufficient expertise in your field. Keep these goals in mind as you continue through the practical advice in our Resources. Inspire Students “Nothing pushes students to do their best work like a professor who takes pride not in his or her own accomplishments, but in helping others realize their potential. “ —Jason Dent, Philosophy, ’05 Your effort and enthusiasm as a teacher directly influence students’ commitment to your course and interest in your field. Great teachers inspire students by demonstrating belief in their students’ abilities and by providing the support students need to meet challenging academic demands.