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I taught 9th and 10th grade English and middle/high school drama at a small private school for kids with either severe BD problems or severe learning disabilities for 2 years. Now I work for a mental health company, but I hope to teach in the YDC (Youth Detainment Center) this comming fall. Teaching is something that can not be taught:you either can do it or not. Sure you can learn how tests are put together, but in the end it is a gut instinct that you should feel.
In my experience, most teachers who leave, myself as a great example, DON'T leave because of the students, but rather leave because of thier dealings with the administration and/or parents. In a private school the parents looked at me as though I was thier employee because they paid my salary. I can count the extremely few times a parent gave me a honest heart-felt compliment on one hand. But they are sure fast to tell me how it was my fault that little so-and-so wasn't living up to thier potential. In hindsight I realize that even though I truly believed that I could be a wonderful assest to the students, I was doomed from the begining by going to a small private school.
I agree with sexymama, if you care, you WILL find moments of pure enjoyment/satisfaction in your students. Be VERY selective of where you want to teach and above all, follow where your heart leads you.
PS-note that in many states you do not have to have a degree in education to teach. You can apply for a provisional teaching certificate that is good for one year. If you like it, then it is very easy to take the handful of education courses that you need to get the certification. Of the 26 people I took my last 3 education courses with at University of Georgia about 5 are still teaching.
On a lighter note teaching was the best damn birth control I have ever seen. Each day I saw a few hundred reasons why I should always wear a condom....PERIOD.
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Remember kiddies, panic attacks can be fatal 
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