Do you ever doubt yourself and wonder if all of your hard work is making a difference? Most teachers doubt themselves at some point. They work long hours and struggle with student or parent issues. There is often little feedback in the form of acknowledgement from administrators. Parents often give feedback only if they have a problem with something you are doing. Students aren’t likely to express appreciation verbally and may never tell you that you that you are impacting their lives.
The day to day struggle is very real. The thing that holds many teachers together through the rough patches is knowing deep down that they are impacting their students in some way.
Sometimes we feel the impact we are making when we look at students’ test scores or achievement. These are tangible results that help you to know whether or not your teaching is effective. But sometimes, academic achievement doesn’t tell the whole story. Yes, we want to help students learn. However, teaching is more than that. We want to help students to understand themselves. We want them to be ready for life’s challenges. We want to help students be better people.
Doubt creeps in when appreciation and gratitude are missing. Just as one test score does not show the true learning of a student, one test score does not show your effectiveness as a teacher. We don’t always feel that we are effective, but there are many ways that teachers learn to understand that their work is making an impact. People may not express gratitude verbally, but if you are aware, the signs are there.
Is your teaching making an impact? Here are some surprising signs that you might be making a bigger impact than you know:
Look for signs from students.
Students address you with affectionate names.
Have students ever accidentally called you “Mom” or “Dad”? Do students have an affectionate nickname for you? One teacher we know was called “Peaches” by her students. Another teacher we know was always called by his last name, without the usual “Mr.” in front of it. They would see him in the halls or outside of school and exclaim, “Hey, Smith.” In both cases, students used the names affectionately and with no disrespect. They also used the names publicly and in front of the teacher. These are signs that students feel a close relationship with their teacher.
Students volunteer to help you.
If students are eager to help you, it often shows that they like to be around you. If students volunteer to help you clean up the room or stay after school to put up a bulletin board you know they have a comfortable relationship with you and value time with you. One of our TYT tribe members just shared that a couple of students who lived down the block from her actually came over to help her shovel the driveway during a recent snow storm!
Students break down in your presence.
Students may cry or have a melt-down when they are with you. Sometimes students may even be explosive or hostile. When students feel strong emotions that they can’t control, they will often choose to let go of those emotions in a safe place. You are their safe place.
Students show concern for your welfare.
One teacher suffered from a cold and a student silently got up, got the box of tissues and placed in in front of her. Another teacher’s students staged a surprise birthday party for her. Students may bring you little treats from home. Beginning teachers often observe that their students are extraordinarily well behaved the day the supervisor comes to observe their teaching and evaluate them. If you have ever asked students for their cooperation because you are not feeling well or have something important to address immediately and students cooperate, it is a sign that they care.
Students from prior years come back to visit you.
Many teachers have had the surprise delight of a former student popping in to say hello. Think about it, would you bother to visit a teacher you didn’t like? Would you remember a teacher years later if they hadn’t affected you in some way? Both of us have been invited to students’ graduations and even their weddings! When former students show up, consider it an honor.
Look for signs from colleagues.
You are asked to do extra, important work.
Administrators know who their most capable teachers are. When they need a teacher for an important committee or to handle an extracurricular activity or event, they turn to those they can trust. If you are asked to step into a leadership role, you have their trust. They believe that you will do the job well.
Other teachers come to you for help.
Likewise, your fellow teachers can validate your worthiness by trusting you. Perhaps they confide in you about a troubling situation. They may choose to work with you on a project, or ask your advice about one. Even a simple check-in every morning or sharing a coffee means they value you as a colleague.
When you need help, others are there for you.
Teachers who are succeeding in their profession have developed a support team in their schools. The custodian will go out of his or her way to do a favor for you. The teacher next door will watch your class while you run to the bathroom. Other teachers will share resources and give you some of their valuable time. When other teachers, staff, and administrators show up to support you it is because they know you, care about you, and see you as someone who is worthy of their time. These are people who value good educators, and when you earn their time and support, they have deemed you worthy.
Doubt about your effectiveness is bound to creep in from time to time. When it does, look for signs that you are valued. If you pay attention, they are all around you.
Our best,
