Have you seen Rita Pierson’s TED talk before, perhaps on the PBS special TED Talks Education?  If you missed it, here’s a chance to be inspired.  And if you have seen it, you may want to watch again.  An educator for 40 years, Pierson says that “We’re educators. We’re born to make a difference.”  The difference she refers to more than helping students learn; it’s being a positive force in their lives. In her talk she calls on teachers to build relationships with their students, no matter how challenging that may be. Pierson shares examples of gestures large and small to bolster students’ self-esteem, down to how she marked a quiz that a student had failed.  To watch her talk at PBS LearningMedia and find related TED talks on education, click here.