Everyday Kathleen Good welcomes her students by saying, "Good morning friends." "It's just a nice way to think of each other as equals," she explains. We're all here together. We're helping each other learn."

Learning how to read and write can be stressful, but Mrs. Good always finds ways to make the lessons fun. She says her role in the class is to simply give the kids the tools they need and then motivate them. "We don't focus on what they can't do," she said. "We focus on what they do right and what they've accomplished. I build their self esteem. They become more and more proud of themselves and eager to learn more."

Parents say it's Mrs. Good's love for learning and great example for the kids that's helped their students excel. "They pick up that excitement from her and run with it. It's exciting for them to learn," said Lisa Kassel.

Lisa's son, Brandon, used to dread school. "He used to cry, when he had to write last year. This year there's just this confidence. He says, 'mom I'm a good writer."

In Mrs. Good's class Brandon and the rest of the students become authors, even publishing "books" for writing celebrations held at the school and attended by the principal and parents.

"She's amazing. She's the kind of teacher you dream your kids will have," Lisa added.

Kathleen is now working on her Masters Degree and occasionally shares her experiences with her students. "I want them to love learning. I want them to understand that it's not just something you do in school. It's something you do all the time," Mrs. Good said.

Parent Diane Prestwich says her daughter keeps a framed picture of herself and Mrs. Good on her dresser. "She tells me she wants to be just like her teacher someday. I smile; nothing could make me happier."

Please join 9NEWS, CollegeInvest, and Metropolitan State College of Denver in congratulating Kathleen Good, the January 2007 9Teacher Who Cares.