I Was Never What You'd Call an Academic at School
My report cards were full of comments like "could do better" and "needs to apply himself." Over time, those words became more than teachers' comments. They became part of how I saw myself.
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Two years ago, I began a Master's degree that not only changed my life but also changed the way I think about education and teacher development.
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​One finding stood out above all the others:
Many talented new teachers aren't leaving the profession because they lack ability.
They're leaving because nobody prepared them for the emotional realities of the job.
That finding stayed with me long after the research had ended. I couldn't stop thinking about how many promising teachers might have stayed in the profession if someone had prepared them for those emotional challenges before they ever entered a classroom.
That discovery became the foundation of Becoming a Teacher: The 5 BIG Mistakes to Avoid, a short practical guide designed to help student teachers avoid many of the mistakes and emotional challenges that nobody warns them about.
If that finding resonates with you, I'd like to share the guide it inspired.
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What the Research Revealed
During my research, I kept hearing different stories, but they all pointed towards the same conclusion. New teachers weren't failing because they lacked knowledge or commitment. They were struggling because nobody had prepared them for the emotional realities of teaching. Once I recognised that pattern, I couldn't ignore it. That became the reason I wrote this guide.
I wanted to write something that not only helps people enter teaching, but also prepares them for the emotional challenges that many new teachers never see coming.
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The book is written for:​
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Student Teachers
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Newly Qualified Teachers​
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Anyone Supporting the Next Generation of Teachers
It combines practical guidance on entering the profession with support for the anxiety, self-doubt and pressures that many new teachers experience during their first few years.
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Throughout my own career, I've experienced many of these challenges myself. Those experiences, together with my research, have shaped the practical advice throughout this guide.
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My hope is that this short book helps future teachers recognise these challenges early, avoid unnecessary mistakes and build a teaching career in which they can thrive.​
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​Avoid the five biggest mistakes that cost future teachers time, money and confidence.​
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Cut through confusing advice and choose the right route into teaching.​
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Navigate anxiety, self-doubt, imposter syndrome and burnout.
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Become not just a teacher, but the kind of teacher who lasts.
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Includes free companion videos.
If this guide helps even one future teacher avoid leaving the profession unnecessarily, then the research will have achieved far more than a Master's degree ever could.
