Many teachers have experienced it—that “click” of a moment of clarity about the profession, your students or your practice. These “light bulb moments” can and do have a significant impact on your career! We asked the Teacher2Teacher community on Twitter to share their own biggest #LightbulbMoment in teaching; read on for eight teachers’ responses and share your own in the comments below.

1. “Confronting the big idea that teaching is what I am saying but what students are thinking.”—@themathdancer
2. “Remembering that if we’re excited, students will be excited; to enter classroom with ENERGY no matter what. Students reflect OUR moods and ‘tudes. And if we’re bored, they’re most definitely bored! Be prepared with a plan C for those times that a quick activity change is needed.”—@WPSpan
3. “Don’t assume anything about behavior. Share openly/daily your expectations for behavior. Only then are they accountable. Social contracts give the students ownership of the learning community. There is pride in ownership.”—@Weigand_DMS
4. “You will do well in all things that interest you. The rest will need explanation and possibly hands-on experience.”—@URNUTEACHER
5. “For me, midway through my 40-year career, realizing teaching/learning combined are ‘performing arts’ from [a] summer conference (2 weeks @ L.A’s Music Center, ie., backstage, on stage, culminating @ [the] Hollywood Bowl). Students sense when and how much teachers are engaged/committed to ‘RIGORS & ROMANCE’ of teaching/learning performance.😊” —@burgan_d
6. “Reflecting on my career in compiling my Apple Distinguished Educator application. So many realizations!”—@LadyWesner
7. “Becoming a mom! Being a mom makes me a better teacher and being a teacher made/makes me a better mom!”—@JeneePrewitt
8. “Seeing [a] student’s face when he saw me at his baseball game. Reminded me how special building relationships with students is.”—@msambermac

Share your own teaching #LightbulbMoment in a comment below.