How We Make Teaching Harder
Picture this… It’s a September afternoon in 1996. I’m still a new teacher, wearing my jumper dress with my hair up in a scrunchie. My kindergarten class was always squirmy after lunch, when I was scheduled to teach math. On this particular afternoon, we were learning an addition strategy called making a ten. The students had ten square grids and colored cubes, and they were doing everything with the cubes but following directions. At one point, a cube flew across the room. If you could read my thoughts during that lesson, here’s what you would have read: This class is out of control. They never listen. I can’t manage them. I’m a terrible teacher. At that time, I didn’t understand the power of my thoughts or how to change them. I knew teaching was hard, but I didn’t realize how I was making it harder.
The Power of Thoughts
When faced with challenges, negative or self-defeating thoughts can amplify stress and make obstacles seem insurmountable. However, by recognizing and reframing unhelpful thoughts, we can shift our perspective and regain a sense of competence. Teaching is full of challenges, and the way we navigate those challenges can energize or deplete us. Managing thoughts isn’t about ignoring struggles but about interpreting them in ways that empower rather than defeat us.
Have you ever caught yourself spiraling into worst-case scenarios or making catastrophic assumptions about a situation? It’s easy to let our thoughts run wild, especially in stressful moments. But here’s the truth—your thoughts have incredible power. They can either fuel your energy or drain it completely. Your thoughts shape your emotions, which influence your actions. When you allow negative, self-defeating thoughts to take over, you amplify stress and make problems even more difficult. But when you become aware of your thoughts and learn to manage them, you can shift your perspective and choose your response.
Thought Distortions
One of the biggest obstacles to managing our thoughts is falling into thought distortions, patterns of thinking that are irrational or exaggerated. These distortions can keep us stuck in negativity and make challenges feel bigger than they are. Here are some common ones:
All-or-Nothing Thinking: Seeing situations in black and white, with no middle ground. ("If I’m not perfect, I’m a failure.")
Catastrophizing: Assuming the worst will happen. ("If I mess up this lesson, my students will never respect me.")
Mind Reading: Believing we know what others are thinking without evidence. ("My principal probably thinks I’m incompetent.")
Filtering: Focusing only on the negatives and ignoring positives. ("I got some good feedback, but that one critique means I’m not good enough.")
Personalization: Taking responsibility for things beyond our control. ("My student is struggling—it must be because I’m a bad teacher.")
Catch, Check, Change
Distorted, unhelpful thoughts can drain your energy and make a difficult situation worse. You can learn to identify those thoughts before they wreak havoc and wreck your day. You can retrain your mind to think in ways that are more balanced and constructive. One powerful strategy is the Catch, Check, Change framework.
Step 1: Catch
The first step is awareness. Pay attention to your thoughts, especially when you’re feeling stressed, anxious, or frustrated. Notice if your inner dialogue sounds absolute (always, never, can’t) or overly harsh. Try listing your thoughts on a piece of paper and identify any distortions in your thoughts. Remember, if you wouldn’t say it to a friend, it probably isn’t helpful to say to yourself.
Step 2: Check
Now, check your thoughts to see if they are accurate and empowering. Ask yourself if the thought is true. Identify any evidence that contradicts the thought. Determine whether you are focusing on the full picture or only the negative aspects of the situation. Often, when you pause to evaluate your thoughts, you realize they’re exaggerated or based on emotions rather than facts.
Step 3: Change
Release any unhelpful, untrue thoughts. I know it sounds silly, but you can imagine those thoughts typed on scraps of paper and floating farther and farther away. Finally, choose thoughts that are more balanced and constructive. Instead of I’ll never be good at this, try I’m still learning, and progress takes time. Instead of Everything always goes wrong, say This is a tough moment, but I’ve handled challenges before. You can always choose a new thought.
Choose What’s Helpful and True
By practicing Catch, Check, Change, you’re not just shifting your perspective, you’re rewiring your brain for resilience. The more you challenge distorted thinking, the less you’ll experience it. You’ll find yourself more naturally and easily thinking empowering thoughts.
I wish I could go back to 1996 and help my new teacher self. I would tell her, Just because a thought feels true doesn’t mean it is. You are strong, capable, and have overcome hard things before. If you take a step back, you’ll see another way to look at this situation, one that gives you more power instead of taking it away. When you’re experiencing a challenge and find your thoughts spiraling into distortions and making you feel helpless, please remind yourself that you can choose different thoughts. Catching, checking, and changing your thoughts takes attention and intention, but the effort pays off in greater energy and empowerment.
Get our best Teacher Recharge tools delivered right to your mailbox each week. Sign up today.