Let's Get Personal: Challenges Teachers Face

Teaching is often described as one of the most rewarding professions—but it’s also one of the most challenging. Recently, during my Facilitation Skills workshops, I invited teachers to reflect on the problems they face and share their experiences. Their responses were honest, relatable, and thought-provoking. Here’s what some of them had to say—and I’d love to hear your thoughts too.

The Daily Struggles

“Students arriving late, skipping homework, or canceling classes at the last minute—it’s frustrating,” says Barbara Shchuka. “But instead of guessing and dramatizing, I’ve learned to simply talk to them and find out what’s really going on.”

For Yaprak Yilmaz, a recurring issue is lack of motivation—both for teachers and students. “We get stuck in a system where we’re constantly repeating ourselves. It’s demotivating. I’ve found that changing myself and my approach is the first step.”

Hassan Mirmonsef adds, “Sometimes, people expect teachers to perform magic while students put in minimal effort. And don’t even get me started on the misconceptions about what teachers can achieve in a short time!”

Facing and Overcoming Challenges

Several teachers reflected on challenges they’ve faced and how they overcame them. Sha Moheb shared a difficult moment: “A year ago, a misunderstanding about schedules caused a row in my department. It was awkward, but thanks to a supportive supervisor, we got through it.”

Oksana Yeshyorkina described a common problem: students unwilling to study. “When I worked at a university, many students were there by mistake—they didn’t even know there was a preparatory year! I built good relationships with them, and that helped influence their decisions.”

For Nada Kataw, the challenge was balancing her beliefs with reality. “I was teaching a group of tenth graders in English, avoiding their mother tongue. The principal wanted me to use it more, but I believed in immersive teaching. I found middle ground by using their first language sparingly, while encouraging them to trust the process.”

What Keeps Teachers Up at Night

Burnout and lack of stability are recurring themes. Barbara admits, “The instability makes me feel frustrated and anxious.” Kadir ?zsoy echoes this sentiment, sharing that he sometimes feels unmotivated: “I lose the drive to learn new things or be active in my community. It’s okay to feel this way sometimes, but it’s hard.”

Pelin Karag?z points to low pay and heavy workloads as a major issue in private schools. “I stopped working for them. It wasn’t worth the toll it took on me.” She also shares a success story: “I helped a student preparing for the YDS exam improve in just 2.5 months. Seeing her succeed made me proud.”

What Would You Change?

While the problems vary, one common thread is a desire for positive change. Norah Alotaibi sums it up: “We need boundaries between work and personal life, more support, and a willingness to embrace ongoing development.”

Yaprak adds, “If you want things to change, you have to start with yourself.”

Over to You

These reflections are just a snapshot of the challenges teachers face and the resilience they show every day. But what about you?

• What’s a challenge you’ve faced as a teacher?
• How did you overcome it?
• What would you change to make teaching better—for yourself and your students?

Let’s get personal—share your thoughts in the comments below. Your experiences might inspire or comfort someone else navigating the same struggles