I'm a Veteran Teacher. Here's What Actually Helped Me Improve.
When you’ve been teaching for over two decades, people assume you’ve seen it all, done it all, and laminated it all. And sure, I’ve attended my share of PDs, endured the textbook shifts, and collected enough curriculum guides to build a small fort. But truthfully? A long resume doesn’t always equal continuous growth.
For a while, I coasted on experience — not laziness, but muscle memory. I knew what worked (mostly), and I stuck with it. But deep down, I knew I wasn't stretching. I wasn't evolving. And at some point, that quiet voice in the back of my head started asking: Are you actually getting better? Or just getting older?
So, what actually helped me improve? Not the fluff. Not the trends. Just a few key, grounded shifts that made me sharper, smarter, and more engaged.
1. Watching Myself Teach (Cringe Included)
I recorded myself teaching once — mostly because my admin made me — and the result was both horrifying and wildly enlightening. I talked way too much. I repeated myself like I was being paid by the word. My wait time was nonexistent, yet I too way to long to get into the lesson.
But I also saw moments I didn’t realize were working. Student faces lighting up. A subtle re-direction that landed perfectly. Watching myself helped me zoom out, and for the first time in a while, really analyze my craft. Yes, it’s awkward. But it works.
2. Seeking Feedback from People Who Don’t Sugarcoat
I have teacher friends who tell it like it is — and I treasure them more than my coffee cart. These aren’t the folks who say “You’re amazing” no matter what. These are the ones who’ll point out when I’ve been using the same tired strategy for too long or when my mini-lesson is actually a maxi-monologue.
Want to grow? Get yourself a no-nonsense colleague who respects you enough to be honest.
3. Reading (Strategically)
Yes, I read teaching books. But not all of them. I avoid anything that promises to “fix” everything in three easy steps or has the word “revolutionary” in the title. Instead, I focus on practical reads grounded in research — things I can actually implement.
Also: I read outside of teaching. Psychology, storytelling, leadership, even memoirs. Expanding my lens helps me bring more depth to the classroom.
4. Listening More Than Talking
This one’s humbling. I started making it a rule to speak less during student discussions and really listen — to their logic, their questions, their confusion. Turns out, kids will tell you what they need, if you actually let them.
Listening helped me adjust instruction in real time, instead of guessing what they “probably don’t get.”
5. Letting Go of Perfection and Trying Anyway
This one was the hardest: giving myself permission to not master something immediately. To try new strategies without expecting flawless execution. Improvement doesn’t always look impressive — sometimes it looks like messy student notes, awkward group work, or a failed anchor chart idea.
Growth happens in the experimentation, not the performance.
I didn’t become a better teacher by attending one magical PD session or downloading a shiny new planner. I got better by being honest about where I was coasting, brave enough to make changes, and humble enough to know I’ll always be a work in progress.
If you’ve been teaching for years, you don’t need to burn it all down to grow. You just need to care enough to evolve. Keep what works, drop what doesn’t, and keep sharpening the blade.
You’ve still got room to level up — and that’s a good thing.
