How Admiration Inspires Teacher Growth
Do you have a colleague who demonstrates a trait you wish you had? Maybe it’s the graceful way they handle tough conversations with students and parents, the contagious energy they bring to morning meetings, or how they always seem to radiate calm (even when the copier jams, a student melts down, and the principal pops in to observe). Here’s the truth… The qualities you admire in others often reflect something that already lives inside you—maybe dormant, maybe underdeveloped, but there. That spark of admiration is a little sign that you want to develop the admirable trait in yourself. You absolutely can, and here are four steps to get you started.
Step One: Name the Quality You Admire
Admiration is often a fuzzy feeling until you stop to name exactly what it is you admire. Is it someone’s patience? Their sense of humor? Their ability to connect with students who are usually hard to reach?
A few years ago, I worked with a teacher named Mary who had this incredible ability to stay unshakably calm in any situation. Fire drill in the middle of a science lab? Calm. Student having a meltdown in the hallway? Calm. Last-minute schedule changes? Calm. Meanwhile, I felt like I was one lost stack of papers away from unraveling. After some deep thinking (and a little research), I realized what I admired in Mary was emotional regulation. Once I could name that specific set of skills, I had something tangible on which to focus my own development.
Step Two: Watch and Learn
Once you identify the quality, get curious. What does that person do that reflects this strength? What habits, behaviors, or choices make it visible?
In Mary’s case, I started paying closer attention. I noticed she took intentional pauses before responding to stressful moments. She used slow, steady tones when others got loud. She carried a small notebook where she jotted notes as a way of clearing mental clutter instead of letting it build. None of those things required a superpower. They were small choices that made a big difference. The realization gave me hope. I didn’t have to become Mary; I could just learn from her habits and practice them in my own way.
Step Three: Practice the Quality in Your Own Style
Growth doesn’t mean imitation—it means integration. How can you develop the quality you admire while staying true to your own personality and teaching style?
Maybe you admire your colleague’s ability to add a little humor and make every lesson fun. But if humor isn’t your thing, you don’t need to suddenly become a comedian. Instead, ask yourself what your colleague’s humor actually does for students. It puts them at ease, builds rapport, makes learning engaging. How else can you achieve that same effect in a way that fits you? Maybe for you, it’s storytelling. Or music. Or creating a classroom vibe that feels like a warm conversation. You don’t need to replicate the method, just embrace the mindset and purpose.
Step Four: Reflect and Celebrate Growth
As you practice the quality you admire, reflect on your progress. You probably won’t notice a big change overnight, but look for little shifts. Did you respond more calmly today than last week? Did you try something new to connect with a student? Did you pause before reacting when you normally would have snapped? Celebrate those little wins. This kind of growth is slow, personal, and powerful. It’s not about becoming a different person. It’s about becoming more of the person you want to be.
Final Thoughts
When you see someone possessing something you wish you had, it’s easy to feel envy. Instead, turn that envy into admiration and inspiration. Let it move you toward becoming the best version of you. The next time you feel that spark when you watch a colleague do something brilliant, don’t just admire it, investigate it. Let it guide you. Let it grow you. Just imagine, if you focused on one trait you admire each month of the school year, you would develop ten remarkable traits by May. That’s powerful growth. And don’t forget… While you’re busy admiring others, someone out there is probably watching you and thinking, “Wow, I want to be more like that.” Keep going and keep growing, teacher friend. You’re already inspiring more people than you know.
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