As the new school year begins, you might be considering how you will approach your new class or classes. For ECTs, it can be tougher than it sounds, and it can be easy to slip into a performance of someone else rather than being yourself. 

But developing your own identity as a teacher is key to building confidence in the classroom and developing relationships with both pupils and colleagues. Here, we’ve outlined five ways you can start developing your own identity at work. 

1. Be yourself 

There are plenty of role models for you to try and emulate, whether that’s personalities you’ve seen on placement or teachers you remember from your own time at school. 

While it can be a helpful starting point to remember what you’ve seen others do, the best way to engage and connect with pupils – and to get to know colleagues – is to be yourself. 

You will naturally build your skills and confidence the longer you’re in the role, but what makes a difference from day one is the unique qualities you bring to your school and classroom. 

2. Enthusiasm is infectious 

You will likely be preparing to set a clear, authoritative tone with your pupils, setting high expectations from the very first day. This is important, but it doesn’t mean you always need to be stern. 

Remember that enthusiasm is infectious. Don’t be afraid to tell a new class that you are looking forward to working with them and how confident you are that they will surpass your high expectations. 

This also goes for the rest of your body language. Standing tall and using open gestures demonstrates a confidence that reflects authority and creates trust.

3. Your life beyond teaching matters 

Many pupils may forget their teachers have a life outside of school. Offering snippets of information about who you are will help your pupils understand you, which helps you not only develop an identity but also build stronger relationships with pupils. 

While it is important not to overshare or to get personal, sharing something small like your hobbies helps pupils connect while maintaining professional boundaries. 

4. Choose how you spend your time wisely 

Becoming involved in extra-curricular activities is a crucial part of developing your teacher identity. However, as an ECT, you won’t always have much spare time – so it’s important to be mindful in what you take on. 

For example, the opportunity might arise, but is it worth taking on the school choir if you have no interest in it? Choosing an extra-curricular option that reflects your personality, specialism or talents helps you form more meaningful connections with both colleagues and pupils. 

5. Engage with children outside of the classroom 

Your break duties are a prime opportunity to get to know a wide range of pupils. Break times provide you with time to talk to children and show a genuine interest in them, which goes a long way to building trust that helps in the classroom, too. 

The same goes for extracurricular activities: running a club gives you the chance to engage with pupils outside of their learning, in an area they are especially interested in. 

Get the latest education news and insight 

All of this is underpinned by confidence in yourself and your knowledge. One way to keep building this as you go is to stay informed on the challenges and issues the education sector is facing today. 

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Originally published September 2019, updated August 2026