Why do teachers feel like what they are doing is not enough, even though they are doing great? This is a common concern for many teachers, and it is mostly due to insecurity.
Some students appreciate your work, while others don’t care at all. Is that bad? No, it is completely normal. In life, we are going to have both: people who like us and detractors who will try to make us feel bad anytime and anywhere.
This exact same issue happens with students, some like us and some really don’t. We are not supposed to be liked by everyone, nor to be hated by most. However, some teachers feel they need the approval of their students to keep doing a good job and to feel the satisfaction of being approved.
I know that because I experienced it; I used to be like that when I started as an English teacher. I remember I always asked my students if they liked the activities or if they had any comments about my teaching style.
Now that I think about it, I don’t regret it, it made me realize that I have improved a lot. However, I spent many years looking for approval, to the point that I even did some things that were not okay for one of the academies I was working for.
Personal Background
This was back in 2017 when I started my teaching career. If you have been reading my posts all this time, you should know a bit of my background. If you haven’t, I am just going to mention some of it.
It is a very prestigious language academy in my country, El Salvador. I was hired as an English teacher, and after a couple of months, I had several groups. The rules were strict, and the supervisors made sure that all of us complied with them. They wanted us teachers to be a good example for the students, and I totally agree with that.
The Incident
Then, I was given a group in the afternoons. They were known as a group that no one would dare to teach, not because they were troublemakers, but because they easily got bored with any teacher. So, there I was. I introduced myself, and at the beginning, I didn’t feel any pressure; as a matter of fact, I thought they were a very nice group.
The weeks went by, and they loved my classes so much that when it was time to change teachers, they filed a request with my supervisor to keep me. What I did was personalize the topics to things they enjoyed talking about. Everything was going well, right? That personalization was the stone that made me fall.
A new student came in; well, he wasn’t even a student, he was there due to a “Free Class” program to attract new students. My supervisor said, “He’s coming to see how our classes are.”
I gave the class as normal and started including topics like “beer” because that’s what the students were talking about, that they were going to go for some beers after class. So I decided to include it in the topic: “He is going to go for some beers,” you know, that type of example. The new guy seemed to enjoy it, so I was glad, and the class ended.
The next day, my supervisor called me and told me that the guy who received the free class had posted a comment on social media saying that the class was bad and asking how it was possible for a teacher to talk about beer in class.
I felt anger; I hated the guy, and I wanted to smack his face against the floor. I was removed from the group and placed in a different one; I was also sent to another branch.
What I thought was great because I felt the approval of the students became my own sentence. Of course, you may think that it was not my fault, but when working in an academy where a professional image is one of the most important things, you have to act like a professional.
Conclusion and Advice
Now, after being a supervisor in another academy, I understand that. If you want excellence, your teachers must act accordingly. It doesn’t have to do with money, but when you own a business, it’s not just the teacher’s reputation at stake, it’s the academy’s.
I am writing this for you to be aware that even though students may show they like what you are doing, not everyone will actually agree with it. It is your job as a teacher to resolve situations as soon as possible before they turn into bigger problems.
Don’t seek everyone’s approval because it’s not possible; you can have the majority agree with you, but not everyone. That is something that was hard for me to understand. I am not saying you have to stop being dynamic or that you have to change your teaching style all the time. No, just be mindful that you are an excellent teacher, and even though not everyone will like you, most of them will.
Look for the benefit of the class and your students, and not only your own. Remember that what matters most is the learning process and progress of your students. If your teaching methodology and style are good enough, keep on improving and adjusting them until you find your own method.
Of course, your students’ opinions are important, take them into consideration, but do not take them as law. Who has control in the classroom? Who is the teacher? Who is getting paid for those students to learn? You are part of those students’ future; make sure they remember you as the best teacher they ever had.
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