To think I’m too self conscious to be a teacher?

[Crumblepie1]

I work in a school as a TA. I’ve been told a few times that I would make a great teacher. I really want to progress but there is one thing really holding me back. I get very self conscious in front of a crowd. For example, today I had to walk around the hall with the class, dancing and showing off our world book day costumes. All the other teachers are totally comfortable with the limelight being on them and their class, revelling in it and having a ball with the kids. I’m just like a spare part. I have two left feet and feel awkward when all eyes are on me.

In the classroom, I am fun with the kids, but I’m certainly not an extravert.

Is there any way I can overcome this? I just feel like it’s really holding me back and putting me off progressing in a job that I love.

It goes with experience.
When I started (university) teaching I was painfully self conscious and my mum who had been a schoolteacher for 30 years said that when you begin you are conscious of yourself but as you learn you grow more focused on your students and what they are learning and you become a better teacher.
It’s possible that some of the teachers who look like they are having a ball in the limelight are actually not extrovert either, they are thinking, It’s so good to see shy little Jimmy really coming out of himself now he is dressed as a superhero…. I must do my Wonderwoman moves more dramatically so little Susie at the back can see and copy properly!’ rather than ‘yay look at how cool I look in my costume!’

I am an extreme introvert and a good teacher. Have never loved the limelight bits but use them to model well to children how to overcome things that are difficult. I recommend you look at ‘The Mindful Self-compassion work book’ by Kristen Neff to think through some of this.
Children benefit from different styles of teaching and personalities of teachers. Think how much empathy you would have for the quieter children in a class.

Not all teachers are extroverts, and a lot of what you see can be an act, the teacher 'persona' which comes with experience. The teaching profession, like any other, is made up of people with different personalities.

I wouldn't have wanted to do what you describe but I'm no introvert and have taught for a long time.

It matters whether you you have the knowledge and skills to teach, and fulfil wider professional responsibilities.

I couldn’t speak in lectures or tutorials when I was at college, and very nearly dropped out to avoid giving a required presentation in a tutorial, and I’ve been teaching 20 years. I do find that even now I get socially anxious sometimes- if it’s a class where I’m aware that some of them might be sneering at me or are hostile (I teach adolescents…), I will get nervous. It also really, really exhausts me sometimes - the effort of being on show all day. But I’m a good teacher because I know my stuff and I care about them, and like a pp I have at appropriate times been honest about my anxiety to model for the students that such things don’t always hold you back.
So I say feel the fear and do it anyway 😄

It's about what you're used to. You are fun in the classroom, and that's where most of teaching happens! I'm not shy or an introvert, and I've been a teacher for nearly 30 years, but I still don't really like being in front of a big crowd with other adults watching, because that's not my usual arena. I'm not used to doing it.

It's an act. Like when you pretend to your own kids that you're really excited by something for their benefit. Bet some of the other teachers hate that sort of thing too.

I’m a primary school teacher. It’s pretty much all an act. It can be hard to drop the act and switch off which is why the pupils’ parents (and teachers’ own family members!) can complain about being spoken to like children! Having said that I don’t know how secondary school teachers do it. Primary aged kids are totally judgement free, in fact they love it when you’re a bit silly and have a dance around, sing songs etc. I would feel self-conscious around teens rolling their eyes and calling me “cringe”! I am not at all like my teacher persona in my everyday life. When I take my own kids to soft play I think my friends assume I’m going to be all Miss Honey with the other kids but if an unknown kid comes up to talk to me I can’t get away fast enough 😆

I’m a primary school teacher. It’s pretty much all an act. It can be hard to drop the act and switch off which is why the pupils’ parents (and teachers’ own family members!) can complain about being spoken to like children!

I've always found that a bit bizarre tbh. I am an only very slightly filtered version of my real self in the classroom. I actually can't be doing with the teacher persona thing at all! I'm a secondary teacher, but even when I did some primary teaching, I talked to them like small adults.

Teaching is less about being an entertainer and more about crafting interesting lessons and caring about the children's progress.

I am painfully shy and absolutely hate the limelight BUT I am a great teacher. I never thought I could do it when I first applied. Doing things in front of children is so much easier than doing them in front of adults. I think it also helps nurture those less confident as you have first hand experience of knowing how hard speaking in front of others. If others are telling you you would be good then believe them!

Teaching is less about being an entertainer and more about crafting interesting lessons and caring about the children's progress.

It's still a lot about personality though, imo. You can craft the most interesting lesson plans you like, but a lot of it is in the delivery, and children engage differently with different people.

Same!! Persona all day would be exhausting beyond belief!

I love that teachers on this thread are actually recognising how great they are. Makes a change from all the negativity 🥰

Same!! Persona all day would be exhausting beyond belief!

Yep. But also I find the more OTT iterations of the primary school teacher persona extremely irritating (either the earnest, quiet-voiced, maternal version or the wacky Blue Peter presenter version). I suppose maybe it's not annoying if you're a very small child... I always preferred teachers who spoke to kids as though they were normal human beings!

I'm an introvert, only managed a year of teaching and I hated it so much🙁 - it was like playing a part - which I don't believe you can or should do every day at work! It's exhausting pretending to be something you're not. Don't be bullied into doing something unless you try it and like it.

When you’re actually up there teaching a class of children you have so much to think about that there is literally no opportunity to be self conscious. You’ll get used to it so quickly.

You sound like a TA I work with (you’re not…I work in secondary). I keep on telling her she should become a teacher.

Dont Compare yourself to established teachers… it takes time. And they are all different. I would say secondary is actually better for not having to be a mega extrovert. You don’t have to do singing/dancing/THE play if you
don't want to.

I did a week work experience on both and decided secondary (teenagers are not all monsters, definitely not worse than year 6!)

Another teacher here and an introvert. I hate being the centre of attention in front of adults but children I’m fine with. Children sort of expect you to be in teacher mode and will listen to you (most of the time). I work with autistic children now which is different again and I’m a lot quieter and a lot more direct, no sarcasm, limit my speech, no jokes as most are non verbal or just learning to speak. It’s definitely a skill you learn as you go along.

I'm an introvert, I'm socially awkward, I'm very shy, I'm terrible at public speaking and it is my biggest fear, I suffer from anxiety and I'm very self conscious.

I'm also an amazing teacher, and love it.

You get used to it, OP, and teaching your class in your classroom will become your comfort zone. I never thought it ever would.

I feel the same, I am a TA apprentice, WBD parade in the hall was almost my death sentence haha! I am having to have many observations at the moment and it’s awful, I am good at my job because I have been given this opportunity and given CPD opportunities externally and know I am thought of highly by SLT, however I feel so stressed and doubt myself constantly and hate standing up in front of people (adults) I work with year 1 so they are lovely and want to be your friend.

I was the most shy and self conscious person. Teaching helped me. I still get nervous for observations but experience helps. I can't stand being the centre of attention in my private life, but in front of a class of kids I don't have a problem. I don't think you should let it hold you back.

If I have to talk in front of adults I still talk way too fast 😄 teaching 13years.

The thing that I found from teaching, as an adult introvert, it took ALL my social energy for tye day by 3 I had nothing so really set me back in terms of friendships and other relationships. There are loads of positive encouragements here but I still think you should try being at the front first and see if you feel yourself.

@surreygirl1987 how do you deal with assemblies and parents evening? Love that you're a teacher despite your fear of public speaking.

Parents' evenings are 1:1 so are absolutely fine, and I prepare a lot for them so I know exactly what I'm saying.

Assemblies... ha, I just don't do them! I did one once and it went well but I was stressed for weeks in advance. I do do whole-year talks (I'm a Head of Department) but weirdly I don't mind that much as I know exactly what I'm doing/saying. I also do talks to parents at open events which I also find fine these days. I guess I've got used to some of the stuff I used to be terrified of.