How to Build Confidence as a Teacher (Even If You Feel Like a Disaster Right Now)

By Mary Saylor, M. Ed. 

I can sum up my first year of teaching in three words:
A complete disaster.

I had no idea what I was doing. The kids were out of control.
I cried in my car. A lot.
And I was one staff meeting away from quitting.

Luckily, I didn’t.

With time, experimentation, and some wisdom from incredible mentors, I found my groove. I became a strong teacher with students who were actually happy—and classroom testing scores that ranked among the highest in the state.

But looking back, I know exactly what made that first year so brutal.
It wasn’t just the behavior problems. It wasn’t the grading load.
It was that I had zero confidence.

None in my teaching abilities. None in my leadership. None in myself.

Worse, I thought confidence was something you were either born with or without—like curly hair or brown eyes. I assumed I had missed out.

But here's what changed everything:
I learned that confidence isn’t a personality trait—it’s a skill.

And that was the most empowering shift of my entire career. Since then, I’ve been on a mission to build confidence like a muscle—one rep at a time.

Why? Because confidence, like light, spreads. It changes your posture. Your energy. Your effectiveness.

If you're in the middle of a tough year (or just had a tough day), I want to share 3 actionable steps that helped me shift from “I can’t do this” to “I was born for this.”

✨ Step 1: Create Power with Your Words

Words are powerful. They’re not just descriptions—they’re declarations.

Research in neuroscience confirms that the language you use can literally shape your brain. According to Dr. Andrew Newberg and Mark Robert Waldman, simply seeing "a list of negative words" can increase feelings of anxiety, while dwelling on negative words "can actually damage key structures that regulate your memory, feelings, and emotions" (Why This Word Is So Dangerous to Say or Hear).

The words that you say are an act of creation. Are you creating the life that you want? 

Here’s how to use your creative speaking power in your own confidence-building practice:

• Stop fighting for your limitations. Every time you say, “I’m terrible at classroom management” or “I’m just not good at math,” your brain listens—and believes it.

• Start speaking what you want to create. Say, “I’m learning to manage my classroom with strength and calm.” Or “I’m becoming someone who can plan efficiently and teach with purpose.”

TRY THIS: Write down one positive affirmation about your teaching. Tape it to your desk, planner, or mirror. Speak it aloud each morning.

 

✨ Step 2: Claim Your Talents (Yes, You Have Them)

You are not a one-size-fits-all educator. You bring something no one else can. 

Maybe it’s your creative lesson plans.
Maybe it’s your quiet patience.
Maybe it’s how you make kids feel—seen, safe, inspired.

Confidence starts with owning what’s already working. When you recognize the value you bring, you stop seeking external validation and start leading from within.

TRY THIS: Write down one thing you KNOW you’re good at. Then, find one way to use that talent intentionally this week—whether it’s mentoring a colleague, offering help on a team, or sharing a strategy on Instagram.

✨ Step 3: Empower Others

Here’s a not-so-secret truth: confidence grows when we give it away.

When you lift up your students, your coworkers, or your school community, something beautiful happens: your own inner critic gets a little quieter. The act of encouraging others rewires your brain toward empathy, positivity, and connection.

TRY THIS: Look for one opportunity per day to offer a high-five moment to someone else—an authentic compliment, a quick thank you, or a supportive note. (Bonus: it makes you feel great too.)

 

One Last Thing...

One of the BEST ways to build confidence is to get better at the skills you're working on. If you're not confident in the classroom, maybe you need to get BETTER in the classroom. 

If that’s you, I created something just for this moment. 🎉

➡️ Grab Your First 5 Days Procedures Progression Planner.

This 5-page Back-To-School planner gives you clear, simple steps to identify and introduce daily priority procedures for the first week of school. Sometimes, confidence comes from knowing what to do first. 

 

👉 Click here to get your planner.

 

 

 

Photo credits: 

Photo by Alysha Rosly on Unsplash

Photo by Fa Barboza on Unsplash

Photo by ThisisEngineering on Unsplash

Photo by Zan Lazarevic on Unsplash