Book excerpt: I remember my first day of school first as a student and then as a teacher. I was even more nervous as a teacher. I knew the material. I understood what I was supposed to teach. But I felt unprepared. When I walked into that classroom, I had no idea how to get my kids to buy what I was selling. After two years of uncertainty and self-doubt, I decided to stop trying to be something I wasn't. I started being me. No more referring to my class as students. They were now “my kids.” A wise, veteran teacher once told me, “Get your kids to love you and they will do whatever you ask.” That's exactly what we did. We started building real connections with the kids and their parents. The kids bought in. A lot of the parents did too. This family environment created daily rewards for all of us. These daily rewards were the reason we all wanted to be there. Open the book. Read the first chapter. Then maybe the chapter on daily rewards. Relate it to your own experiences. See how we created a 'Triangle of Trust.' See how we created a family each year for eighteen years. A classroom filled with kindness, compassion, and a lot of laughter and joy. A classroom where good learning flourishes. It works. It's fun. It's a real family. Your family. I hope you enjoy it. I still miss opening the door each morning and turning on the light.