Building Confidence: A Guide for New Language Arts Teachers

Building confidence in the classroom can be something that takes a while. Though I was confident in my abilities to teach high school Language Arts & connect with students, I was really worried my first few weeks of school. I was worried about saying the wrong thing about what I was teaching. I was worried about messing up a student’s name. I was worried that I would go to the wrong place in my GIANT Texas school for the teacher meeting. I was worried about a lot of things. I was a ball of nerves! To add to that, I was teaching alongside AMAZING, experienced English Language Arts teachers to whom I would constantly measure myself against. I was kind of making it hard for myself from the beginning. 

Starting Out As a New English Language Arts Teacher

When I first stepped into the classroom as a fresh-faced teacher, I was filled with a mix of excitement and nerves. Doubts plagued my mind – “Would I be able to connect with my students?” “What if they don’t like my lessons?” “Am I knowledgeable enough to teach this subject?” Now I know it’s natural for new teachers to experience such feelings, but I also learned that confidence is a skill that can be developed over time. I needed to give myself grace- and accept that I would say the wrong things, I would mispronounce names, and go to the wrong locations sometimes. But that’s just a part of growing, learning, and being new.

Embrace Your Unique Qualities

The key to building confidence as a teacher is to embrace your uniqueness. Your diverse background, experiences, and personality make you stand out as an educator. Embrace your strengths and acknowledge areas where you can grow. Let students see the things you love about reading or writing, and show them that messing up and making mistakes are a part of the learning process. Remember, it’s okay not to have all the answers at the start – teaching is a journey of constant learning and improvement. I used my love for Taylor Swift as a fun way to keep my students on task- “Ok guys, if we can’t get back to work, I will put on my Taylor Swift playlist to help get you back on track”. Cue the groans and giggles before they finally settled and refocused on their writing.

Seek Support and Collaborate

No teacher is an island. Reach out to your fellow Language Arts educators, administrators, and mentors for support and guidance. Creating a network of support can help you navigate the challenges and celebrate the successes of teaching. Collaborating with experienced teachers can also provide valuable insights and lesson ideas that align with your teaching style. I found blogs, podcasts, and yes, even Instagram to be a huge source of help for me in my first couple of years.

Be Prepared and Organized

Confidence in the classroom often stems from feeling prepared and organized. Plan your lessons in advance, keeping in mind the learning objectives and the needs of your students. Having a well-structured lesson plan allows you to feel more at ease during teaching, knowing that you have a clear roadmap to follow. Make sure you also have solid classroom systems and rules in place. Rules and expectations that are covered from day 1 and are the norm helps to set high standards for students. Likewise, if you are confident in your rules and can enforce them repeatedly (instead of the “ok I will let it pass this time..” situation) for each and every student, your confidence will build quickly.

Your rules should be short, sweet, to the point, and cover many different scenarios. Kids will shut down if they see a giant list of rules in your room. If you need help creating a concise set of rules.

Similarly, having clear expectations that are student- created will help create a collaborative and successful classroom environment- which ultimately is what makes us feel like good teachers, right? Put the class expectations discussion in the hands of your students, create a poster and include your non-negotiables, and return to those all year when things start getting off track in the classroom. 

If you need help with rules and expectations in your language arts classroom, check out this resource I pre-filled with rules I use in my own classroom. I include a poster for you to display those student-created expectations as well!

Emphasize Positive Reinforcement

Building confidence in your students can also contribute to your own confidence as a teacher. Encourage a positive and supportive classroom environment where students feel comfortable expressing themselves and making mistakes. Celebrate their achievements, no matter how small, and provide constructive feedback to help them grow. Always have a positive word for your students before the negative words, if any. Likewise, if you do “rewards” in the secondary classroom, stickers can go a long way. I don’t love items for extrinsic motivation, but stickers can be really motivating and encouraging for secondary students, they are cheap, and you don’t have to give them out all the time.

Reflect and Learn

Take the time to reflect on your teaching experiences regularly. What worked well? What could be improved? Reflecting on your lessons and interactions with students can help you identify areas where you excel and areas that require more attention. Embrace feedback, whether from colleagues or students, as an opportunity for growth. Reflecting can be hard, especially if things don’t go the way we want. I get that. Reflecting could even be keeping a private journal about how teaching is going on a weekly basis.

Embrace the Joy of Learning

Remember why you chose to become a Language Arts teacher in the first place. Embrace the joy of learning and the power of literature and language to transform lives. Share your passion with your students, and they will be more likely to engage with the subject and look up to you as a confident and inspiring teacher.

Final Thoughts

As a new language arts teacher, it’s natural to face moments of self-doubt, but don’t let it hold you back. Embrace your journey, learn from your experiences, and build your confidence one step at a time. You are on a path of growth, and with each day that passes, you’ll become more proficient and confident in the classroom.

You have the power to make a lasting impact on students’  lives. 

What do you struggle with when it comes to confidence in the classroom? Leave a comment below- you aren’t alone!

Really Glad You’re Here,

Kameo

P.S. If you found these tips helpful, don’t forget to check out the back to school freebie here. Feel free to connect with me on Instagram for more teaching tips and resources. I’m here to support you in being your best ELA teacher self!