When "Good" Teaching Isn't Enough

8 min read

Today, we’re talking about those classes that humble us, challenge us, and remind us that teaching is both an art and a beautifully imperfect human endeavor. You know the ones—where you've tried everything in your toolkit, followed every piece of advice, and still find yourself wondering if you're cut out for this profession.

The Elephant in the Faculty Room

There's something we don't talk about enough in education circles: sometimes, despite our best efforts, some classes are just harder to manage than others. We build relationships, establish routines, follow procedures to the letter, make those dreaded parent phone calls, and yet—the disrespect continues. The disruptions persist. The learning environment feels more like a battleground than a sanctuary.

And here's the thing that makes it even harder: when we reach out for help, the feedback we receive often feels like a recycled list of strategies we've already tried. "Have you tried calling parents?" they ask, and inside we're screaming, "YES! Three times this week!" It's enough to make anyone feel like they're going crazy, like they're missing some secret ingredient that the "successful" teachers seem to have figured out.

But here's the truth: feeling this way doesn't make you a bad teacher. The struggle itself is part of the journey, not evidence of failure.

A quick word from our sponsors for teachers (and students) who want to save typing time by using their voice:

Typing is a thing of the past.

Typeless turns your raw, unfiltered voice into beautifully polished writing - in real time.

It works like magic, feels like cheating, and allows your thoughts to flow more freely than ever before.

Your voice is your strength. Typeless turns it into a superpower.

Download for Mac today

Beyond the Basics: When Standard Strategies Fall Short

The truth is, some groups of students come with a perfect storm of factors that make traditional classroom management techniques feel inadequate. Maybe it's the particular mix of personalities, unresolved trauma, external stressors, or simply the chemistry that happens when certain humans occupy the same space. These classes require us to dig deeper, to get creative, and to accept that our usual playbook might need some serious improvisation.

When the standard strategies aren't working, it's time to think differently. Instead of focusing solely on control, shift toward connection. Try the "two-minute rule" - spend two minutes at the beginning or end of class having genuine conversations with your most challenging students about anything but academics. Ask about their weekend, their hobbies, their dreams. Sometimes the student who's disrupting your lesson just needs to know they matter to you as a person.

Consider the power of choice and ownership. Give students more control over their learning environment - let them choose their seats occasionally, pick between assignment options, or even help design classroom rules. When students feel like partners rather than subjects, resistance often melts into engagement.

The Power of Presence (And How to Build It)

We've all met teachers who seem to command respect effortlessly. They walk into a room, and somehow, order follows. It's tempting to think this is some innate gift, but presence is actually something we can cultivate. It's not about being the loudest voice or the strictest enforcer - it's about being authentically, confidently yourself.

Presence starts with self-awareness. Know your triggers, understand your strengths, and accept your limitations. When you're comfortable in your own skin, students feel it. They sense authenticity from a mile away, and they respond to teachers who are genuine rather than those trying to be someone they're not. Practice standing tall, making eye contact, and speaking with conviction—even when you don't feel confident inside.

Remember that presence also means being present. Put down your phone, close your laptop, and give your full attention to your students. Listen not just to their words but to what they're really saying. Sometimes disruptive behavior is a cry for help, a test of boundaries, or simply a young person trying to figure out where they fit in the world.

The Class That Changed Everything

There's something profound that happens when we stop seeing difficult classes as problems to be solved and start viewing them as invitations to grow. Every disruption, every challenge to our authority, every moment when our carefully planned lesson falls apart—these aren't failures. They're opportunities to practice the most important skill we'll ever develop as educators: the ability to remain grounded in our purpose when everything around us feels chaotic.

Think about it: the classes that test us the most are often the ones that teach us the most about resilience, creativity, and grace under pressure. They force us to dig deeper into our toolkit, to discover strengths we didn't know we had, and to remember why we became teachers in the first place. When a student who's been disruptive all semester finally connects with a lesson, that moment means more than a hundred smooth classes with eager, compliant students.

These challenging experiences are shaping you into the educator you're meant to become. They're teaching you patience you didn't know you possessed, empathy that runs deeper than you imagined, and problem-solving skills that no textbook could ever provide. The teacher who emerges from the crucible of a difficult class is stronger, wiser, and more compassionate than the one who entered it.

Your hardest days aren't evidence that you're not cut out for this work—they're proof that you're exactly where you need to be, learning exactly what you need to learn, becoming exactly the teacher your future students will need you to be.

You're Doing Better Than You Think

Here's what every teacher needs to remember as they head into another week: a difficult class doesn't reflect your worth as an educator. Some groups of students are genuinely harder to reach, and that's not a failure—it's simply the reality of working with complex human beings during complex times in their lives.

Your willingness to keep trying, to seek advice, to reflect on your practice—that's what makes you a great teacher. The fact that you care enough to worry about these students, to lose sleep over their behavior, to question your methods—that caring is exactly what they need, even if they can't show it in ways that feel rewarding to you right now. Trust your instincts, lean on your colleagues, and remember that some of the most important teaching happens in the messy, imperfect moments when nothing goes according to plan.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

We would LOVE to hear from you!

Reply to this email, or send us a message on Instagram! We’re here to walk with you in these crazy times!

Part of what makes The PEN Weekly community so special is the fact that our readers are teachers from around the world! We’re not going to lie, we think that’s pretty darn cool!

Share this newsletter!

Do you know someone who would appreciate reading the PEN? Share this newsletter with them! Our goal is to reach as many teachers as possible, and to build a community of teachers supporting teachers.