Teachers do not work for the money or for the vacation time. In spite of all the constraints of the teaching profession, when all is said and done, teachers work for the students. For teachers, the children and the life in class are the most important rewards, and at times they may be the only reward. This finding is supported by this research paper. More specifically, the author examines the teaching relationship as it is understood by teachers, and what primary and secondary school teachers gain from it. The emotions associated with and produced by teaching, as well as their effects on teaching, are at the centre of this study. The research is based on three surveys carried out by means of interviews with primary and secondary school teachers in Ontario. The analysis shows that teachers place a high value on the emotional relationship with their students and the attachment felt by both parties; they consider that an empathic understanding on the part of the students is an essential ingredient of good teaching, and that emotions should be recognized and integrated. Moreover, the emotional dimension has an influence on teaching, as well as its planning and structure. Finally, the study examines the significant differences between the importance given to emotions at the primary and secondary levels.