Imposter syndrome greatly targets new teachers especially those that are systematically marginalized like people of color and women. According to the School of Education Online Programs article “How Teachers Can Overcome Imposter Syndrome” imposter syndrome doesn’t just affect educators it can affect any professional in any industry. But what exactly is imposter syndrome and what can educators do to overcome it?
Those experiencing imposter syndrome don’t believe in their successes, accomplishments, and talents and think of themselves as a fraud. Educators fear other people will realize they don’t know how to teach or don’t know what they’re doing even though they have legitimate degrees and years of experience proving their abilities. Many teachers just rule out their accomplishments as luck and ignore their true value. This self doubt holds educators back from enjoying their profession, connecting with their students, and ultimately leading to anxiety and depression.
A few ways to overcome this fear is for the educator to acknowledge their successes as truth and understanding that their fearful thoughts of being an imposter are completely false. New educators in the classroom need to understand that they may not find their teaching style immediately and just like any other talent it will take time, practice, and patience before they feel comfortable in their setting. Educators also need to remember that they don’t know everything and there’s nothing wrong with that. Teachers should freely admit when they don’t know something instead of lying to their students. Students like honesty from their teacher and they will be much more inclined to listen and learn from their teacher.