I have had this blog post rattling around my head for some time now.  It wasn’t until I became an instructional technology specialist and had the opportunity to visit different classes and talk with a variety of educators to realize that what I would feel every year was totally normal; the fact that at certain times during the year I felt like a complete and total fraud.  It did not matter that my teacher evaluations were positive or that I have been recognized for my teaching accomplishments. It did not matter that my students all enjoyed being in my class and by both quantitative and qualitative standards they were showing growth.  I’ve always said the number of parents that I have had difficulty with in 20 years I can count on one hand.  My greatest treasures have always been former students getting in touch with me and reminiscing about our class together.  No matter the yardstick used, I think a case could be made that I have had a pretty successful career thus far and have been a pretty darn good teacher – yet without fail, every single year, I would hit some point where I would ask myself, “do I really know what I am doing?”

I came across some literature earlier this year that describes a phenomenon know as the impostor syndrome.  It is a term coined by Dr. Pauline Rose Clance in the 1970s.  It has been rebranded several times since and I like the term impostor anomaly best.  A syndrome implies there is something wrong with you; an anomaly is something that occurs unexpectedly.  And when you feel this way- like the world is going to find out you have been faking it this whole time – there isn’t anything wrong with you.  It is a normal unexpected blip that happens during the course of a very long school year.

Over the last decade the education profession has not just had some minor tweaks made, but truly a revolution was thrust upon us.  With the advent of NCLB and then the common core curricular standards.  New, lengthy, teacher evaluations and a barrage of attacks from the media – it is not a syndrome to feel like an impostor at some point (even multiple points) during the year.  It is how everyone feels at one time or another and it is completely normal.  How could you not feel this way?

You might even be asking yourself,  sure I feel this way – but everyone?  Look at what Mrs. So and So is doing in her class.  Look at the incredible bulletin board put up by Mr. So and So’s class.  They totally have it together.  Keep in mind, you are only viewing snapshots; pictures in a page of an album.   Don’t compare yourself to the So and So’s! Just like no one sees your whole album of life – you don’t see their whole album either.  At some point, everyone, especially the So and So’s, encounter the impostor anomaly.

As you complete your current unit of study with your class or when you are about to embark on another (along with report cards, standardize testing, etc..) or when you are asked to be part of the writing team for that next great curricular unit and that self doubt starts to creep in – remind yourself you are not alone.  What you are feeling is completely normal.  It is merely an anomaly – a momentary unexpected blip.  Don’t let it stop you from being the exceptional teacher the rest of the world knows you are (even if you are not currently looking at that page in your album).

Feeling alone is never fun – so when you sense the impostor anomaly creeping in, talk with a critical friend.  I think you will find that you are truly not alone in feeling this way.