10 Top Tips Teachers Can Use To Get That Self-Belief Boost!

The trials and tribulations of teaching can leave you feeling less than sure about yourself. You assume you're doing a good job but sometimes, when it's just you in your classroom, it's a bit difficult to tell. Not only that but you end up giving so much of yourself away that you forget your own true value.  

So, to help out, here are some top tips to help you feel good about yourself and even carve out time for your life that exists beyond teaching.  

1. Ask for feedback: 

The prospect of someone observing your lesson or flicking through your classbooks may fill you with dread but it is an awesome opportunity for a confidence boost and learning! Find a colleague (whose opinion you trust) to observe 15 minutes of a lesson for you. Inform them beforehand that you want feedback focussed on your strengths only. By doing this, you receive a confidence boost alongside tips of where you can put your strengths to good effect elsewhere too! Offer to do the same for them in return; sharing is caring!

2. Blow Your Own Trumpet!

I remember a time when a school wide survey had been conducted. Staff, pupils and parents had given their opinion on every possible area of the school. My colleague worried that our department would not be shown in a good light. I responded that we are both amazing teachers and have nothing to worry about. And lo and behold, that was exactly the case! 

So, find opportunities to blow your own trumpet because you are bloody amazing! Speak to a colleague who you feel safe with and share a win you have had this week. Alternatively, encourage your department to blow their trumpets! Everyone writes a win on a sheet of paper and these are then shared at the beginning of the meeting. Trumpet officially blown!

3. Celebrate Your Successes: 

If you are anything like me, you will underplay your successes. You'll tell people you were just lucky, or it was the class who made the lesson a success, or someone else gave you the idea. Pause and celebrate your own awesomeness! Create a positivity journal each evening or tell your partner your day's highlight. Pause and give yourself credit; without you, the outcome would have been utterly different. 

4. Nobody is Perfect: 

Let's face it, as a teacher you have high standards placed upon you by students, parents, colleagues (not to mention Ofsted...) and every other Jack and Jill in the population. And this year has been especially tough. It's fab to have high expectations of yourself but don't use perfectionism as a stick to beat yourself with.  

If you are prone to spending a disproportionate amount of time perfecting a particular activity, consider this: how long will this be used for in comparison to the amount of time you are spending on it? If your lesson is only an hour and you have spent three hours planning and prepping it, chances are you have over planned. What would be the impact of reducing by 10% the standards you set for yourself? 

5. Nobody Else is You: 

I used to work with a History teacher who took teaching WWI to a whole new level. They used to organise a lesson in DT where students cooked and ate food akin to what soldiers would have eaten in the trenches. It brought everything to life for the students!

Now, that might sound extravagant (not every lesson can or should be all-singing and all-dancing) but it was something unique to this teacher. And you are unique too! No one teaches quite like you. 

So if you suffer from comparison-itus, pack it in! It's a sure-fire way to feel rubbish about yourself (take it from a long-term sufferer....).  Instead, focus your energies on the amazing you. Why not ask students for feedback. Ask them questions like, 'What is it about your lessons that you value the most? What activities have you enjoyed the most? What's the best thing you have learnt this term?' And if you fancy an ongoing challenge, also ask, 'What more would you like to see/do/learn about in your lessons?'

"No one teaches quite like you."

6. Stretch Your Comfort Zone

Sometimes as a teacher, you can fall into a repetitive rut: you created some awesome lessons and now keep using those year after year. Not only can this begin to feel like a bore but it can also cause you to feel uncertain about new opportunities, ideas or skills. 

Most teachers will probably respond that their comfort zone has been thoroughly stretched over the past year (who had video-called on Microsoft Teams before last March??) so perhaps the point here is mute. Having said that, a little bit of stretch can make you feel like a superstar. So start small: try a new starter or plenary. Or even, hand over parts of the lesson to the students! This will stretch their confidence as well as yours!

7. Talk To Yourself Like You Talk To Your Best Friend: 

Ever heard the saying, 'You are your own worst critic'? Our inner critic can be unnecessarily cruel and leave us feeling inadequate and beyond useless. Which somehow reiterates the message that the inner critic is giving us!

Instead, imagine your best friend reflecting on the lesson you just had. What would they say? It's likely to be things like: 'You were awesome! Those kids are so lucky to have you as a teacher. Yeah, you messed up on that bit but you'll know to avoid that next time! You have so got this.' (My best friend literally spoke to me like this. Along with the common comment: 'Don't overdo it, Gem.')

If you struggle to reflect like this inwardly, grab a pen and write it down. Using the second person ('You') helps to give the impression that you are writing about someone else, making it easier for the positive comments to flow!

"You were awesome! Those kids are so lucky to have you as a teacher."

8. Let It Go: 

Release your inner Elsa! When you make a mistake, let it go! Avoid using mistakes as another stick to hit yourself with. If this is challenging, give yourself five minutes to rant, rave, reflect and then move on!  

9.Assert Yourself:

As a teacher, it is easy to put yourself at the bottom of the pile. Your students are usually top of the priority list along with parents, colleagues and senior leaders. When you get home, you may also put yourself at the bottom of the pile either because of habit or a feeling of guilt for having neglected your partner or family.  

Imagine your energy levels like your mobile phone. Certain actions will drain your battery like simply being at work - schools are pretty intense places! Just as your phone needs recharging, so do you. So, make sure you get what you need. Get to bed on time, switch off the work emails notifications, say 'No' to doing more work in the evenings. Remember, 'No' is a sentence in itself.  

"Asking for help is a strength"

10. Ask for Help:

Asking for help is a strength. It is a recognition that you are human, you can't do it all alone. Instead, draw on the combined strength of the community you are part of.  

Delegation is a cheeky word in teaching but take advantage of it! Whenever you have resources to guillotine or packs to put together, get the students to help! If you have a resources department in school, take advantage of their support.  

And if things are becoming a bit much, tell somebody. The whole reason I had my first panic attack in school was because I tried to pretend that everything was ok until I literally couldn't keep it in anymore. Learn from me: let people know if you are not ok. It's ok to not be ok.  

Remember, you are your greatest asset!

Looking after yourself will keep you succeeding in school and beyond. What helps you to keep the faith and loving teaching? Share them in the comments below!

And if you like the idea of building self-belief, but need a cheerleader in your corner, let’s chat. My diary link is below.