This doctoral thesis follows the lives of five teachers in an elementary school in the Midwest section of the United States. Through observations, interviews, and focus groups the daily life of a classroom teacher was brought to life. The participating teachers spoke candidly about their profession and how they maintain the energy to return to the classroom each day. Along with the anecdotal notes from the participants, the relationship amongst instruction, assessment, and reflection was highlighted throughout the thesis. Using current educational research as well as the classroom experience I was able to illustrate how instruction, assessment, and reflection thread together in a way that will impact student learning.