I’m Not a Bubbly Classroom Teacher and That’s Okay

Back in the day, I use to be amazed watching other teachers (student or veteran) perform in the classroom. They always seemed happy and full of life.  They seemed to have sparkling personalities that captivated their audiences.  They taught each lesson with a smile on their face and an almost melodic tone to their voices.  They appeared to be genuinely enthusiastic about the topic and happy to convey this knowledge to their students.  They seemed to have a wellspring of energy to draw from every day. They were always entertaining to learn from and watch in the classroom.  I really marveled at their ability to charm an audience. 

I Wanted to Be Like Them

I admired their skills because I was not that type of teacher.  Compared to them, I was like watching paint dry for an entire day.  Don’t get me wrong, I was knowledgeable about writing a creative lesson and teaching it, but my delivery was never quite as stellar as my effervescent counterparts.

I would try to appear perkier while I taught my lessons, but I couldn’t quite pull it off.  Smiling and being bubbly just wasn’t a natural part of my personality.  I was more stiff and straight to the point with my presentation.  I would get the job done just the same, but with a little less fanfare than my charming colleagues.

I used to think my teaching style and persona were a mark against me as a teacher. I often felt that I wouldn’t have a promising teaching career if I wasn’t able to deliver thrilling lessons daily.  I thought that my students would be bored to tears and hate coming to my class.  Ready to escape as soon as the bell rang.

How Others Perceived Me

Then one day, after I taught a mock lesson during one of my college classes, I overheard a few of my fellow student teachers discussing my presentation.  To my surprise, they actually liked the way I presented information. They liked my no-nonsense approach. I gave them the facts without all of the fluff, and that was just fine for them. Upon hearing this, I felt a little better about my style and delivery.  I carried those compliments well into my teaching career. 

Once I became a teaching professional, I quickly learned that everyone has their own teaching style. Some teachers are perky, while others are more subdued.  Nothing is wrong with either of those styles or personas.  Students will respond to you no matter your style as long as you are genuine, respectful, fair, and true to yourself. Besides, variety is the spice of life.  It’s good for students to interact with different personalities that may cross their paths. 

Final Thoughts

The one thing that teaching has taught me is that there is no one type of teacher. We come from all walks of life, bringing a variety of personalities and experiences to the table. My teaching style and persona may not be for everyone, but it has served my students and me well over the years. 

In closing, I’m not a bubbly teacher, and I’m completely okay with that.  I’m just glad that I learned early on to embrace my personality and be myself in the classroom.  Being my authentic self in the classroom was more important than trying to be something I’m not.  Being that fun teacher is great, but being the more subdued teacher has value too.  I’m glad I learned that lesson early in my career.

What are your thoughts?  Are you a bubbly or more subdued teacher?  Tell me in the comments below.