I am rather new to teaching and have had no previous affiliation with career schools or online teaching. My professional and scholastic experiences have centered around traditional academia. So for me, the most difficult bit of teaching at a career school is the idea that I need to serve as a "cheerleader" to my students. I have no problem doing it and I am beginning to better understand this role, but I must confess that I am having difficulty shaking my previous experiences in which it was my responsibility to go to class and participate. My former teachers were always interested in the whereabouts and academic progress of students, if one elected to stop coming to class and turning in assignments, that, while frowned upon, was fine. It was the students decision. As a career school teacher, I feel like fulfilling the role of "motivator" almost steps over boundaries that I never felt teachers should cross. Has any one else grappled with this issue?