Stages of Teacher Development: My Reflection

When I first became a teacher, I thought I just needed a solid lesson plan and a loud enough voice (speaker-like) voice. But I quickly learned that teaching is less about surviving the day—and more about evolving every day. Like one of my lecturer, Mr. Barath said 

Belajar hingga ke liang lahad👌

Over time, my role as a teacher has changed in ways I never expected. From the anxious early days of managing a classroom to the joy of experimenting with fun activities, each stage of my growth has shaped not just how I teach, but who I am as an educator.

In this post, I want to reflect on the key stages of my professional development. Drawing from Frances Fuller’s Concerns-Based Model of Teacher Development, I’ll share how my focus has shifted—from surviving (barely surviving) 😹, to refining, to truly making an impact. This journey is ongoing, but here’s how it’s unfolded so far.

Stage 1 - Self-concerns (Am I doing right?)

My first real classroom experience began during my practicum days with a class called 3 Fathoni, which consisted of 23 students. I still remember the moment my mentor teacher, Pn. Rajeswari, gave me a heads-up about a few students who, in her words, needed a little extra “care.” Hearing that instantly made me anxious. This was the first time I would be in a classroom not as a student—but as a teacher. That thought alone felt surreal.

During the first few weeks, I felt both overwhelmed and excited. I was eager to try something new and fun with the children, but the pressure to “get it right” was intense. I remember staying up late at night preparing what I thought were the best materials possible. I relied heavily on my lesson plans and had this mindset:

I must complete every activity exactly as planned—no skipping, no changes.

My head was full of “what if” questions:

What if the students don’t understand? What if they get bored? What if I lose control of the class?

These worries lingered for several weeks. But slowly, I began to realise that things wouldn’t always go according to plan—and that was okay. Some lessons flopped, others went better than expected. I learned that making mistakes is part of the journey, especially for a new teacher.

At this stage, I was very much focused on myself—my performance, my lesson execution, and my ability to control the class. But that stage taught me something essential: that teaching is not about being perfect—it's about progress. And if I want to give my students the best version of myself, I must be willing to learn, adapt, and grow with each experience.

Stage 2 : Task -concerns (From planning to adapting)

After gaining some initial confidence from surviving the first few weeks of practicum, I noticed a shift in my focus. I was no longer just worried about myself—whether I would mess up or forget my lesson plan—but I started thinking more about how to make my lessons flow smoothly, how to keep students engaged, and how to manage time effectively in class.

As I adjusted to the classroom environment, I began to understand more about my students’ backgrounds and learning progress. This awareness played a huge role in shaping my lesson planning. I started to design activities that could cater to the range of abilities in my class—something I hadn’t considered deeply before.

One moment that stood out to me happened when two students came up to me during a lesson and said, “Teacher, I don’t understand this worksheet at all.” That really struck me. It made me realise that not all of my students were high achievers—and that some needed a different level of support.

For the next class, I prepared a simplified version of the same worksheet for those students. I kept the content and learning objectives the same, but adjusted the difficulty level so they wouldn’t feel left behind. That small action reminded me that effective teaching isn’t just about delivering a perfect lesson—it’s about being responsive to the learners in front of me.

This experience changed the way I approached planning. I realised that the success of a lesson wasn’t just about sticking to a script. It was about observing, adapting, and making thoughtful changes based on the needs of my students. 

Stage 3 : Impact -concerns (Making learning stick)

As I progressed further in my practicum, I noticed that my concerns shifted again—this time towards how my lessons were actually impacting my students. I began to think deeply about whether they were truly learning, enjoying, and remembering what I was teaching. I wanted my lessons to be not just informative, but also meaningful and engaging.

I still remember the moment I wanted to strengthen my Year 4 students’ reading skills. Instead of conducting a typical read-aloud or shared reading session, I decided to make the lesson interactive and exciting. That’s when I came up with the idea of an “Information Transfer” relay.

In this activity, I divided the students into groups of 4–5. Three students were assigned the role of runners, while one student—usually a low-achiever—was selected as the writer. Each group received a fill-in-the-blank worksheet, and across the room, I placed an enlarged reading text on the wall.

The task was simple but energizing: one runner at a time would run to the enlarged text, read and understand a sentence or key point, and then run back to share the information with their group. The writer would then write the answer on the worksheet. The process continued until the entire text was completed. The group that finished first and had the most accurate answers received a small reward.

This activity taught me that learning can happen through movement, teamwork, and fun. More importantly, I saw how this approach boosted the confidence of my lower-achieving students. The “writer” role gave them responsibility and pride—they weren’t left out or passive; they were at the center of the task.

Reflecting on this experience, I realised that my concern was no longer about whether I was doing a good job—but whether my students were truly benefiting from my lessons. This is where I see myself stepping into what Frances Fuller describes as the Impact Concern stage, where the focus shifts to the outcomes of our teaching.

This is the reading text that I used in the Relay Activity