Exemplary teachers do work with happy children and youth in productive classrooms because the best teachers work to develop communities of learners where people cooperate with each other and have strong expectations for good work and high achievement. Teachers in these classrooms are lifelong learners who appear to have boundless energy and excellent repertoires of effective teaching strategies. In this article, the author shares the general themes and specific attributes of exemplary teachers whom she has met, and who were recognized as the best of the best.