Effective educators assume a large range of roles to support student success. Educators function as “knowledge brokers” by finding creative techniques to transfer knowledge to students in authentic, individualized ways. In addition, teachers often are role models, cheerleaders, and mentors. While it is important to recognize each student’s needs and strengths, it is equally vital to know them as a person with unique interests, hobbies and values. When a teacher strives to understand their students on a more individualized level, students realize that they are genuinely cared for and thus more comfortable to learn. Overall, I believe the partnership of individualized, skill-targeted instruction and student-teacher rapport creates achieve academic success.