🕴️Growing Into My Role: Understanding My Teacher Development Journey

 

⚙️ A Work in Progress

Teaching is not just about delivering content, it’s about growing, adapting, and learning from every experience. Every educator starts somewhere, and where we begin is never where we remain. The journey from a novice teacher to an expert is filled with challenges, self-discovery, and constant refinement.

At this stage in my journey, I see myself as an emerging educator, someone passionate about teaching but still learning how to apply theoretical knowledge in real-life classroom situations. In this post, I will explore where I currently stand, the areas I want to improve, and how I plan to grow into a confident and capable teacher.

🙇‍♀️ Where I Am Now: My Strengths & Challenges

If I were to place myself on the teacher development scale, I’d say I’m in the early development phase. I have a solid foundation of pedagogical knowledge, but I’m still learning how to apply it with confidence and flexibility in real-life settings.

What I’m Proud Of:

✨ I understand how to structure a lesson and build learning objectives.
✨ I enjoy connecting with learners and making lessons engaging.
✨ I’m familiar with diverse teaching strategies and the importance of differentiated learning.

Where I’m Still Growing:

🔸 Responding spontaneously when a lesson doesn’t go as planned.
🔸 Managing classroom dynamics effectively, especially with mixed-ability groups.
🔸 Developing the self-assurance to take full ownership of the classroom.

Recognising both my strengths and areas for growth has helped me become more intentional about my development. I believe that self-awareness is the first step to becoming a reflective and effective educator.

My Growth Plan: Steps Towards Confidence and Competence

Understanding where I currently stand allows me to set clear and realistic goals for improvement. Here’s how I intend to move forward:

1️⃣ Becoming More Adaptable in the Classroom

📍 Observing experienced teachers to learn how they adjust on the spot.
📍 Preparing alternative strategies within my lesson plans to stay flexible.
📍 Practising decision-making during micro-teaching and teaching practicum.

2️⃣ Improving Classroom Management

📍 Experimenting with approaches such as silent cues, consistent routines, and positive reinforcement.
📍 Asking for feedback from mentors and peers to refine my management style.
📍 Reflecting after every session to understand what worked and why.

3️⃣ Building Confidence Through Practice

📍 Participating in peer-teaching opportunities to strengthen my presence and clarity.
📍 Recording lessons to observe my tone, body language, and student engagement.
📍 Reminding myself that confidence is built gradually, and growth takes time.

Final Thoughts: Becoming the Teacher I Envision

I’ve learnt that the best teachers are not those who know everything, but those who never stop learning. The teacher I aspire to be is reflective, curious, and committed to the success of every pupil in the room.

While I still have much to learn, I am proud to say I’m moving in the right direction. I am embracing every chance to improve, and I am eager to continue building the skills that will shape me into a confident and capable educator.

📌 Coming Soon: In my next page, I’m excited to share my career planning in the next post, how I’m intentionally working towards the Guru Cemerlang title, one meaningful step at a time.