Reclaiming Confidence After A Tough Year in Teaching

Natalie Potter, BS, MA — Edited by Richard Van Acker, EdD — 4 minute read
Let’s just say it out loud: some years in the classroom feel like you are absolutely crushing it… and some years feel like your classroom management somehow got filed in the back of the extra PE equipment closet, while you stand in the middle of controlled chaos, wondering how you got here.

Somewhere along the way, things probably started to feel “off.” Maybe directions had to be repeated. Maybe transitions got messy. A few students pushed boundaries… and then a few more joined in… and suddenly you were thinking, “Wait- this is not how I manage a classroom!”

So let’s start with the real question: How do I rebuild my confidence as a teacher after a year of feeling like my classroom was out of control?
Taking care of you in these positive ways reminds you that you are worth taking care of. A connected teacher is better positioned to return as a confident teacher.
Natalie Potter, BS, MA

Rebuilding Confidence Starts With You

First, take a breath and remember this: a difficult year does NOT take away from all of the successes you have had before, and a tough year does NOT make a bad teacher. Confidence doesn’t come back all at once—it comes back in pieces.

It starts with remembering who you are, not just what went wrong. This is your moment to reframe the experience, learn new skills, and remember that, just as with our students, we adults also need connection before correction.

Before you jump into fixing everything—or send in your resignation—pause and ground yourself with meaningful, restorative connections. With nature, with friends, with faith, with family, with books, with your health. Taking care of you in these positive ways reminds you that you are worth taking care of. A connected teacher is better positioned to return as a confident teacher.

Understanding the Year You Had

Now, before you hold yourself to some perfect standard, ask: what kind of year was this, really? Were you in a new assignment or trying something you had never done before? Then you weren’t just teaching—you were learning, adjusting, and building systems in real time.

Or maybe life showed up in a big way. A family crisis, illness, or other stress that you couldn’t just “leave at the door” absolutely increases the challenge. Acknowledge that. Because ignoring it doesn’t make you stronger—it just makes you harder on yourself.

As an evaluator, I used to remind other teachers (and myself): it’s okay to sometimes be a “3” teacher so you can be a “4” mom… or wife… or friend. Not forever. Not as the goal. (And not consistently in the 2s and 1s). But in a hard season? Yes. Because no one is superhuman.

When confidence is low, it’s tempting to try to fix everything—or quit altogether. Instead, ask yourself: what is the ONE area that felt like the biggest struggle in my classroom? What were the patterns? The repeated frustrations?
Natalie Potter, BS, MA

Focus on What You Can Control

Now that you have looked at the situation, ask yourself: what was actually in my control—and what wasn’t? You can’t change state or district policies, student home lives, class lists, or the local impact of everything happening outside your classroom. But you can change whether you come to work on time, how you arrange your classroom, the tone you bring each day, whether most of your conversations about teaching are negative (choose that company wisely), and how you treat coworkers and students.

For me, recognizing that my chronic illness was getting worse and decreasing my efficiency meant I had to make some big adjustments. I rescheduled when I did planning, grading, and meetings—matching them to my actual energy reserves. I also had to accept that I was trying to do too many things at once, and the undone was screaming “failure” at me from the sidelines.

So I made a choice to physically put projects away. Things I used to do year-round while teaching got reassigned to “summer” and moved to the basement and attic. Some became joyful creative outlets during breaks, and some collected dust until they were donated. Just because something once fit into your life doesn’t mean it should forever.

Another thing I can control? My phone. The constant pull of reels and shorts hasn’t just impacted students—it has impacted us as well. It dramatically lowers adults' attention span and patience.

Rebuild Confidence Through Action

Our brains are naturally drawn to the negative, so build your treasure truth box. Fill it with a letter from a parent thanking you for not giving up on their child, a copy of an evaluation that felt fair and encouraging, pictures of you with your family, favorite quotes and inspirations, and notes from students and friends who you have made a difference to.

Again, when confidence is low, it’s tempting to try to fix everything—or quit altogether. Instead, ask yourself: what is the ONE area that felt like the biggest struggle in my classroom? What were the patterns? The repeated frustrations?
For me, I realized many of my students—especially my boys—would rather look “bad than dumb.” I could blame them or society. Or I could learn. So I went all in. I focused my learning on that one issue. I used books, podcasts, conferences, and conversations with other teachers.

I didn’t become an expert overnight. But I became an expert learner in that area. And that changed everything.

Moving Forward With Confidence

This is your moment to own your year. Say it out loud! You made it through a hard year. It wasn’t perfect. You showed up. You kept teaching. You didn’t quit. That matters more than you think.

You are not starting over. You are starting from your experience.

So carry this with you: connection before correction, keep your treasure of truth box close- how you have mattered matters, be real about your energy and your season, pick one thing to grow.

You are not behind. You are refining and reframing. And some of the best teacher growth is built in the years that didn’t go the way we had planned. Someone is waiting for the very magic that only you can bring!
Say it out loud! You made it through a hard year. It wasn’t perfect. You showed up. You kept teaching. You didn’t quit. That matters more than you think.
Natalie Potter, BS, MA
written by

Natalie Potter

Natalie Potter is an educator with over 30 years of experience in early childhood education and English Learner (EL) instruction. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Development and a Master of Arts in Language Acquisition. Her years in early childhood awakened her passion for how children learn. Her EL teaching experience spans grades K–8, where she has supported multilingual learners in developing academic language, confidence, and independence
across content areas.

Currently, Natalie also runs a reimagined resource room for junior high students that focuses on both academic and personal growth. Her work integrates instruction in civil discourse, personal responsibility, and the development of executive functioning and pro-social skills. She is passionate about helping students build accountability while also fostering faith in their ability to grow
beyond their worst moments and become more than what others may expect of them.

Natalie is known for her practical, reflective, and relationship-centered approach to education, blending structure, humor, and high expectations with deep compassion. She creates learning environments that prioritize connection over correction and strongly believes in the power of consistency, reflection, and second chances.

Outside of the classroom, Natalie enjoys photography and capturing meaningful moments in everyday life. She is also actively involved in her local faith group and values time with family, nature, and creative output as essential parts of her personal and professional balance.

University Product

product description in relation to blog post
Write your awesome label here.
Everywhere you listen to podcasts!
Little Bits of TLC Podcast

Join us for more!

Listen to [EPISODE TITLE] with [GUEST]