How I Developed My Teacher Persona

The First Year Teacher Blues

Struggling during your first year as a teacher is a rite of passage for many teachers. It’s a story many of us can tell if we survive to teach another year. Many of us have tales of poor classroom management, issues with parents, long hours, lack of support, and the emotional toll it takes on our well-being. The list goes on and on.

My first-year experience was no exception to the rule. During my first year of teaching, I didn’t feel comfortable in the classroom. I suffered from the usual issues that many first-year teachers have in the beginning. I was absolutely miserable and wanted to quit every day. I struggled so much during my first year as a teacher because I didn’t know myself well enough to feel comfortable managing a room full of children. I wasn’t comfortable in my skin. Therefore, I didn’t feel comfortable in front of my students.

My Personality

Weaknesses

Allow me to provide a little background information about my personality. I am a shy and introverted person. I am usually a loner and tend to be quiet and subdued. I can also be sensitive, and my feelings are easily hurt. Finally, I’m a bit of a worrywart. I’m anxious most of the time. Mix all of that with a massive amount of insecurity, and you have a recipe for disaster in the classroom because, as we all know, children can smell fear from a mile away.

Strengths

However, I do have a few positive traits that are useful in the teaching profession. I’m well organized and have a strong sense of duty. I’m also dependable, disciplined, and achievement-focused. These are traits that can come in handy when running a classroom.

Time to Reflect

In my mind, my personality and demeanor didn’t seem conducive to the teaching profession. Most of the teachers I had encountered over the years appeared to be perky, outgoing, and confident. I wasn’t any of those things. Therefore, I felt like my personality was working against me.

I hadn’t put much thought into how my personality could be used to my advantage in the classroom until I had a conversation with the science supervisor, who came to observe me. I mostly thought that my personality was a hindrance and not an asset, but her piece of advice forced me to re-evaluate my personal assessment. In short, she told me that I needed to find a way to be firm and assert my authority using my quiet demeanor.

After much thought and a crash course in classroom management, I figured out how to use my personality to my advantage. After coming up with a new classroom management plan for my second year of teaching, I figured out how to use both my positive and negative traits to my advantage. That’s when Ms. Barrett, the strict, no-nonsense teacher, was born.

A New Persona Was Born

Armed with a new perspective of classroom management, a new plan, and one year of experience under my belt, I was able to develop how Ms. Barrett would manage and teach her students during her second year of teaching. Ms. Barrett would be a silent force to be reckoned with all year. By using a combination of not having much to say, a more confident posture, and strict adherence to my classroom management plan made my second year of teaching a much better experience than my disastrous first year.

For example, since I’m not fond of yelling at children or raising my voice in general, my quiet and introverted personality, along with my stone-like resting face, worked in my favor. By not saying much and giving my students a look, I was able to convey more than screaming could ever do. Of course, being consistent with my rules and consequences helped a great deal.

Also, Ms. Barrett had a more quiet, confident, and commanding presence than her earlier version. Ms. Barrett knew how she wanted her classroom to be run and conveyed this to her students confidently. Ms. Barrett was knowledgeable about her subject matter and knew precisely how to teach it to her classes.

Finally, Ms. Barrett could use her positive traits of being disciplined and well organized to her advantage in the classroom. She was always well planned and ready to teach. Ms. Barrett used her teaching style and skill set to teach her students her second year and beyond successfully.

Final Thoughts

In the end, my cool and confident Ms. Barrett persona was created in an attempt to take advantage of those traits that I perceived as weak but turned out to be some of my greatest assets. With time, that new persona slowly but surely became a part of my daily life inside and outside the classroom.

If I hadn’t taken the time to reflect on my positive and negative traits, I would have never developed into a solid classroom teacher. Don’t get me wrong; I’m still a bit shy, introverted, and insecure at my core. However, age and experience have provided me with the wisdom to become a more well-rounded teacher and human being.