As we walked down the sidewalk, I listened to a heartbreaking story. I don't know why she chose to be so open with me, a complete stranger. At first she started talking about her dad and how he beat her mom and that's why they moved here. She loved living here with her mom, but she missed her husband and they moved back. He lied and continued to hit her so they backed away. Then she told me that her mother was in prison for theft and that they had placed her in foster care. Being a teacher isn't just about teaching the basics. It's about listening and being a safe place for a child who might need to talk. I'm ready to be that kind of