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Confidence in Teaching Isn’t Instant — It’s Built, Protected and Strengthened
In education, confidence isn’t something teachers are born with. It’s something developed little by little: through planning, adapting, reflecting and trying again.
Alex Quigley — author of Closing the Reading Gap, Closing the Writing Gap and The Confident Teacher — captures this truth better than most.
His work reminds us that confidence doesn’t come from bravado. It comes from expertise built through deliberate practice.
This idea matters now more than ever. As curriculum expectations rise and classrooms become increasingly diverse, confident, research‑informed teachers are essential.
Why Confidence Comes From Expertise (Not Instinct)
Quigley’s central argument is powerful:
👉 Teaching is a profession grounded in expertise, not guesswork.
Confidence grows when teachers can:
- Understand how learning really works
- Apply strategies with intention
- Reflect honestly on what worked and what didn’t
- Adapt based on evidence, not instinct
It’s not about being perfect — it’s about being committed to progress.
If this message resonates with your values as an educator, we’d love you to bring your experience to ATTC Education and support learners as a tutor.
Why English Skills Sit at the Heart of Teacher Confidence
Quigley highlights something crucial that often gets overlooked:
👉 Every subject, at every age, relies on Reading and Writing.
Whether it’s:
- Year 1 phonics
- Year 8 geography
- Year 11 science
…literacy shapes how students access, understand and remember knowledge.
When teachers strengthen:
- Vocabulary instruction
- Background knowledge
- Explicit writing modelling
- Reading fluency
…they’re not just improving English. They’re improving every child’s experience across the curriculum.
This is why literacy‑focused CPD has one of the highest impacts on teacher confidence.
Confidence Wobbles — And That’s Normal
Even skilled, experienced educators face moments that shake their confidence:
- A challenging class
- A new curriculum
- A difficult observation
- A change in leadership
- A school-wide shift in priorities
Quigley urges teachers to see these moments not as failures, but as a natural part of the profession.
Growth isn’t a straight line — and confidence isn’t either.
The message is simple: 👉 Confidence isn’t the absence of challenge — it’s learning how to meet challenge with expertise.
Confidence Grows Faster When Teachers Feel Supported
One of the strongest themes in The Confident Teacher is that teaching is not a solo profession.
Teachers grow fastest when they are:
- Collaborating with colleagues
- Sharing practice
- Accessing high-quality CPD
- Supported by leadership
- Encouraged to stay curious
- Trusted to refine their craft
Confidence flourishes in cultures where teachers feel empowered to try, review, and improve — without fear.
Final Thought
The Confident Teacher isn’t about having all the answers.
It’s about embracing the process:
- building expertise,
- leaning into evidence,
- learning from each other,
- and making small, meaningful improvements every day.
And that’s a message every teacher deserves to hear.
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