I read with enthusiasm the Opinion Exchange stories on teachers ("What makes a teacher stand out?," June 13). The examples effectively reminded all of us that no matter what our relationship is with children and others, we are all teachers. However, it is truly critical to spend time reflecting on school-based teachers, because these are such complicated times in education. As adults, we know who the "good" teachers were, and the Star Tribune commentators captured that eloquently. When I read and hear other adults talk about a good teacher, I wonder about that teacher's journey beyond the view of the student perspective. How did such teachers engage with ongoing learning and gain new knowledge and insights? Were they able to stand up for their convictions? Did they need to be advocates for what students need? How did they balance time for institutional requirements and time for meaningful learning and relationships that do not show up in standardized test scores? Did they change and how? Did they face struggle and conflict? Did they engage in educational improvement beyond the walls of their classrooms? When I think about the teachers who stand out, I think about the souls of my role models and former colleagues who were bold both inside and outside the classroom, who lived their convictions, and who bravely loved the young. DONNA McNEAR, Cambridge, Minn.