What 3,000+ English Teachers Taught Me About Professional Growth
If there’s one thing I’ve been lucky enough to do over the years, it’s talk to teachers.
Lots of them.
Brand-new teachers figuring out their footing. Experienced ones questioning their next steps. Burned-out ones, passionate ones, curious ones — you name it.
And somewhere along the way, I started noticing patterns. Not rules, not formulas, but recurring themes that show up again and again, no matter the context.
So if you’re in a reflective mood (or maybe just looking for a little nudge), here are a few things I’ve learned from working with over 3,000 teachers and from being one myself.
1. The best teachers own their growth.
The teachers who grow the most? They’re not waiting for the “perfect” course or the right moment. They ask questions, try new things, and yes — they fail sometimes. But they don’t wait for permission. They know that curiosity and autonomy go hand in hand when it comes to development.
✅ Try this: Read something that challenges your usual thinking. Could be an article, a blog, a thread. Then jot down one “What if I tried…” to act on this week.
2. Nothing slows you down like taking feedback personally.
Oh, this one stings. (Literally.) Because teaching is personal, right? We pour ourselves into it. So when someone points out a blind spot, it can feel like a personal attack. But when we react by shutting down or getting defensive, we miss the chance to actually grow.
✅ Try this: When you get feedback that bothers you, pause. Write down the hardest part to hear. Then ask: “What if even 10% of this is true?”
3. Knowledge without action goes nowhere.
Have you ever left a webinar or a course feeling fired up, only to do absolutely nothing with it? Yeah, me too. It’s so easy to stay in the comfort of “thinking about it.” But the teachers who actually grow are the ones who test things out, even if it gets awkward. Especially if it gets awkward.
✅ Try this: Pick one idea you’ve heard lately. Test-drive a simple version in your next class.
4. Being busy isn’t the same as developing.
Let’s be honest: teachers are busy. That’s a fact. Too many classes, too many students, too many projects. But I’ve seen (and been) that teacher who’s always running but never stopping to reflect. Without space to think, we just keep going in circles. Development needs breathing room.
✅ Try this: Block 20 quiet minutes this week. No grading. No planning. Just think: “What worked this month—and why?”
5. The teachers who thrive see themselves as learners first.
They’re not pretending to have it all figured out. They ask, they wonder, they reflect. And that learner mindset? It shows in their lessons, in their energy, in the way they talk about students.
✅ Try this: Invite your students to explain, show, or demo anything they love. Watch what lights them up.
If any of this resonates, I’m glad. Professional growth isn’t a solo act. It’s a shared, messy, beautiful process. And the more we talk about it, the better we all get.
What have you learned from the teachers around you?
On June 3rd, I’ll send out a special email with an exclusive offer you won’t find anywhere on my website. It’s just for teachers on my waiting list. Click here to join.
Curious about next semester? Here’s what’s on:
Course Areas:
Exam Preparation
Language Development
Teaching Skills Enhancement
Weekly Schedule:
Mondays
Language Development for Teachers: 9–10am (Sergio Pantoja)
From Headlines to the Classroom (New Course!):
Group 1: 10–11am | Group 2: 8–9pm (Sergio Pantoja)Language Experts: 7–8pm (Sergio Pantoja)
Tuesdays
Path to Proficiency: 9–11am (Ana Carolina)
Advanced Grammar for Teachers: 2–3pm (Sergio Pantoja)
C1 Advanced Prep Course: 7–9pm (Sergio & Ana)
TKT: 7–9pm (Sergio & Ana)
Wednesdays
Brush Up on Your Teaching Skills: 9–10am (Sergio Pantoja)
Advanced Conversation for Teachers (New Edition!): 10–11am (Sergio Pantoja)
The Lexical Approach: 7–8pm (Sergio Pantoja)
Teaching Pronunciation Effectively: 8–9pm (Sergio Pantoja)
Thursdays
C2 Proficiency Prep Course (Module 1): 7–9pm (Sergio Pantoja)
Fridays
C2 Proficiency Prep Course (Module 2) (Sergio Pantoja)
Group 1: 9–11am | Group 2: 2–4pm
This selection of 12 specialized courses is designed to strategically enhance your teaching skills, advance your language development, and prepare you thoroughly for international examinations.
For questions, contact me via WhatsApp: +55 19 99595 4348 (Click here)