VIDEO: Stephen Sondheim Talks Oscar Hammerstein and the Importance of Teachers in New Interview

Composer Stephen Sondheim sat down with CBS this week to discuss the importance of teachers and the profound effect his own teacher, Oscar Hammerstein, had on his own life and career.

"Teachers are so underpaid; why else are they teaching? They have to love it," said Sondheim. "Everybody takes teachers for granted because everybody goes to school," he said. "And I think not enough thought is given to how much teachers do, and how hard they work. A teacher can make you feel more wanted than your parents, if your parents are indifferent kinds of parents."

See the interview with Sondheim below and get to know more about the importance and impact of the Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award, a prestigious honor awarded by the Kennedy Center in Sondheim's name to educators making a difference in the lives of students everywhere,