wonderful teachers here told me about the rule of three. You can't be brilliant all the time, just try and be brilliant for one in three lessons. Write down the things that have turned out really well and stick them above your desk to remind yourself it's going well and remember to ask and share -- people aren't going to be judging you for that. I think one of the most important things you can do as a teacher is to take an interest in pupils -- the more we can get to know them the easier it is to teach. If they feel you are interested in them as people they work much harder. But a warning that this can someway go against a healthy work/life balance. Teaching is a constant balancing act and you've got to keep your eye on the ball. I also say keep on loving your subject. If you lose that teaching can become a real grind. Don't be afraid to show you love your subject, don't be afraid to enjoy the lessons, don't be afraid to admit if you don't know something -- I think lessons work best where everyone's a learner. I couldn't agree more. I too loved the classroom element of the job but was overwhelmed by that feeling of never having done enough. I left teaching for that reason, exactly seven years after I had started. A sabbatical would perhaps have saved me, meaning I'd have come back into teaching refreshed