This is Mr. Funky Teacher with BeAFunkyTeacher.com. I’m coming to you with another Be a Funky Teacher podcast. Welcome back, everyone. Today’s episode is called The Teacher I’m Still Becoming. And this episode isn’t about having everything figured out. It’s about becoming. Because after all these years in education, I’m realizing something important. I’m not the teacher I was when I started, and I’m not the teacher I’ll be five years from now. I’m somewhere in between. And today I want to talk about what it means to keep becoming without losing yourself in the process. Before I get into it, I want to ground myself in gratitude. First, I’m thankful for time. Time in the classroom. Time to reflect. Time to realize that growth doesn’t happen all at once. It happens in layers. Second, I’m thankful for moments that humbled me. Moments where I thought I had it figured out and then realized I still had learning to do. Those moments didn’t make me weaker. They made me more honest. And third, I’m thankful for students who grew me as much as I taught them. There are kids whose faces I still see, conversations I still remember, moments that changed how I teach and how I see myself. Let’s get into the main topic. The teacher I’m still becoming. Becoming is ongoing, not arrival. Early in my career, I thought becoming a teacher meant arriving. Like there was a point where you’d finally have the perfect classroom, the perfect lessons, the perfect confidence. I watched veteran teachers and assumed they had it all figured out. Honestly, I was chasing that version of myself. I wanted to be the teacher who always knew what to say, who always handled things smoothly, who never doubted their decisions. But that version of me never showed up. What showed up instead were moments. Moments where lessons fell flat. Moments where I said the wrong thing. Moments where a student taught me something I wasn’t ready to hear. At first, those moments felt like failure. Now I see them as evidence of becoming. Growth often feels like discomfort. Here’s something we don’t talk about enough. Growth doesn’t usually feel empowering in the moment. It feels uncomfortable. Write that down. It’s going to be on a test. Growth doesn’t usually feel empowering in the moment. It feels like uncertainty. It feels like questioning yourself. It feels like realizing your old ways don’t quite fit anymore. There were seasons where I thought, why does this feel harder than it used to? The truth was, I was paying closer attention. And awareness always comes before change. Let me take you into a classroom moment. I’m standing in the room. The day isn’t falling apart, but it isn’t smooth either. A student says something under their breath. Not loud. Not disruptive. I hear it anyway. Earlier in my career, I would have reacted quickly, corrected it, and moved on. Instead, I pause. I look at the student. I notice their body language. I notice what might be underneath the comment. And I realize this isn’t about control. It’s about connection. So I respond differently. Not softer. Just more human. The room shifts. Not dramatically, but noticeably. Later that day, I realized something important. That response didn’t come from a strategy. It came from growth. I used to believe becoming a better teacher meant adding more. More tools. More strategies. More control. Now I know it often means letting go. Letting go of the need to be right. Letting go of the need to be perfect. Letting go of the idea that growth is linear. Growth is not linear. Becoming isn’t about arrival. It’s about alignment. And alignment changes as you do. When I look at my journey, I see how much I’ve shifted. The teacher I’m becoming listens more than they talk. Responds more than they react. Trusts experience over ego. The teacher I’m becoming still makes mistakes. Still reflects. Still grows. And honestly, that version feels better than pretending I’ve arrived. As I close, if you’re listening to this and thinking, I’m not where I thought I’d be by now, that doesn’t mean you’re behind. It means you’re becoming. Teaching isn’t about reaching a final version of yourself. It’s about staying open. Open to growth. Open to change. Open to becoming something better for kids than you were yesterday. It’s about becoming. You’ve got this. If you found value in this episode, head over to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and leave a five-star review. It helps more teachers find this space. And remember to inspire greatness in young people. And don’t forget to be a funky teacher. Bye now.