The Imposter Syndrome

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

"Imposter" or "impostor"? Discuss.

[@ELTExperiences]

I think anyone who dislikes this video are 'imposters' themselves! 😂

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Hahaha, thanks buddy! 😅

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Sorry, man.

[@bekind7814]

I feel insecure about being an ESL teacher from time to time. I'm not a native speaker so I sometimes question myself if I really have the right to teach English. I didn't know this was a real thing. So it's not just me who feels this. This video just put my thoughts into words! What I do every time I feel that way, I try to learn English more and more and work on my accent to sound more American, learn advanced vocabs, and so on. I never let it stop me although deep inside, I really doubt myself. Thanks so much for this video, Tutor Joe!

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

We all doubt ourselves deep down, Paula. Don't let it eat you up! 😊

[@ELTExperiences]

When I was asked to teach Intercultural Communication for my University last semester, I started to wonder whether I was the most suitable candidate for the position. I had a chat with a colleague about this and we had a good discussion on imposter syndrome. He gave me the confidence to focus on the teaching and sharing knowledge. I tried to focus on my experiences and then share this with my post-graduate students. However, I was keen to let my students know that I was probably not the most appropriate but they respected my candid and transparent approach. As always, a really interesting and useful topic Joe.

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks so much, Martin. I can totally relate.

[@ihaveheardHim]

I thought I was the only one with doubts. I just told my husband this morning that I should look for another job. Thank you for this video.

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

I doubt myself all the time, Nikita. I think we all do. That's what proves we care. I didn't want to call people out in the video directly but there are so many teachers out there who believe they are God's gift to their students; I usually find they're not as good as they might think.

[@michellehurter9840]

oh my hat!! I really needed this... I just got my TEFL certificate and now the pressure is on!! Its real!!! I'm so freaking nervous and the self doubt is dominating the passion inside me that started me on this journey in the first place. I've been watching countless videos in hopes of easing my anxiety and this one actually allowed me to breath for the first time... Can't thank you enough for your honesty...love your content and down to earth advice!!

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Hey, thanks so much for your comment, Michelle. I'm glad this video gave you a bit of relief. Take it easy, take a deep breath, and know that if you're worried or anxious it only means you really care... You'll do great. 👌

[@karynboshoff8192]

Wow Joe! You must have made this video a long time ago. I really needed it. I have been teaching online for over a year now and I have only now been suffering from the imposter syndrome. Your video was like an answer to a prayer for me. Thank you..

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks so much, Karyn. I'm glad it was what you were looking for.

[@halowinboy1751]

Joe is the World's best teacher. 😂 Had fun watching this and found this relatable and very useful. Thank you!

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Hey thanks haha

[@daniellaneskovic448]

Absolutely fantastic. I watched twice. First time I was so enthusiastic to see the editing, acting and the whole story. The second time, I paid attention to the content more. Keep up the amazing work. You are trully an inspiration and everything a teacher should be nowadays. 👏👏👏

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Wow, thank you so much, Daniella! I'm glad you could do a first watch purely for the editing. Makes the chaotic as hell timeline worth it. 😅

[@dashlands]

Thank you for this video. Its something I suffer with a lot. Its very helpful to see others feel this too. Great coping tips too. X

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

We all suffer from it, Catherine. All of us. You're not alone. 💪

[@constanceclemmons2864]

Excellent! So many good things but I'll comment on one. I especially like how you talk about how we can make the teaching experience better by recording and analyzing what works. There is a performance aspect to teaching, especially online teaching. I always learn a lot from your videos, Joe.

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thank you so much, Constance! There definitely is a performance aspect, and it's good to watch back.

[@jeanineruder403]

I've been feeling like this for days! Thanks, Joe 💜

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

You're not alone! Thanks, buddy.

[@martinamalaskova4491]

Hello Joe, thank you so much for the video! I've been teaching for over 15 years and still struggle with such feelings sometimes. I know that most of my insecurities come from being a NNEST. Of course, I know that being a NS doesn't mean you can teach the language, but being fully qualified and with lots of experience under my belt, I still feel inadequate in certain aspects. Anyway, thanks for sharing!

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

You got this!

[@Mina-fr8nc]

Your videos are always very engaging and this one is no exception! ❤ I certainly suffer from this syndrome, just hadn’t heard of it before! I believe there’s always room for improvement and there are many times I say to myself at the end of the session “you could’ve done better”!

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thank you, Mina. 😊 You're not alone!

[@RosyCheeksOfMerlot]

This is a brilliant video and arrived at a very appropriate time in my teaching journey. I started teaching earlier this year. I’m on the Demo team, and I pretty much only do Demos right now. I don’t understand why, as I feel I’m not good at them, but yet I still get them! It’s clear you’ve worked super hard on this video Joe. I love the editing. It’s fantastic. Great work! All the best, Teacher Kate

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks so much, Rosy. Let me just say that you're not alone, buddy.

[@1000kennedydk]

A good think piece Joe. Thank you for this and the previous videos. I am 76 and have some life experience. For me, the impostxx has departed when I finally found the purpose, the gifts, I was created with and "did" life inside of that place. It has been in seasons. Thank you again.

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks a lot, buddy. I think you could probably say a lot more about this topic than I could. Feel free to offer any advice! 🤩

[@arthurmarek8418]

Brilliant video Joe, like I've commented before it could be me talking most of the time, I am on the same wavelength (I am also form Yorkshire!)...I could comment on every minute of this, but will limit myself to the exercise thing. I teach 6 days online and Monday is a free day, we go on 15 kms hikes...Tuesday is so easy then, and gradually the week gets harder..my wife was a sports and gymnastics teacher, and she goes out Nordic walking when I am in front of the computer, in Summer I can still find energy to go out, but now in Winter with pools closed due to pandemic, I'm limited to indoor trampoline! Anyway thank you for your vidos you deserve a lot of subscribers.

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks a lot, Arthur. A fellow Yorkshire lad? I miss the motherland, man! Yeah, keeping active is super important and the pandemic has made it mad difficult for me too. I went on a few runs with a mask, but quickly lost the enthusiasm for that. I've been locked up since early March, I reckon it'll be like this for another year, if not more. Gotta jump around inside!

[@arthurmarek8418]

@@JoeMilneEnglish Quick PS, I say I m from Yorkshire because I grew up there from age 5, but I m an imposter because I was born in Loughborough. Just in case you see my Facebook where it says home town, Anyway I haven t seen the old country for a long long time, maybe never will again...

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Let's have a pint of bitter, a cone of chips with hendo's, and reminisce, my friend.

[@arthurmarek8418]

@@JoeMilneEnglish We were lucky to have chips when I were a lad.

[@englishlessons-no5lm]

I wish you a million subscribers so you go on making videos. I just love them!

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks a lot!

[@xyhanx]

I can't believe this... I have just discussed this with one loyal friend and he was shocked to hear it from me (he thinks of me as someone confident). At that time, I did not need any advice. Him listening to me was more than enough. Thank you Joe for being so real and honest. 🙌

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks so much, Ruthiane. Sometimes we feel like we're out of place, but that's usually when we're the most in place. Socrates was a wise dude, my dude.

[@normandalzell7044]

Hi Joe, good to see you again. In these times of isolation, doubting oneself is more and more common. I find myself reviewing more classes, some good, some not so good. I find elements, of what I thought was a good class, that definitely need improving and sometimes classes that I thought were badly taught by me at the time, on reflection weren't quite as bad as I had initially thought and felt. I would say be prepared to criticize yourself but don't beat yourself up and always accept positive, constructive criticism. Stay safe mate, Digital Normad Norman

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Hey, thanks Norman. It's super useful to reflect, but not beat yourself up. I agree. Thanks, bro!

[@victoriatung4735]

Thank you for your video! It has helped me a lot.

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks for saying that, Victoria. 😊

[@SunshineDiamonds]

Brilliant Joe! Thank you for some really great tips as usual - and your thoughtful analysis 😎

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it. 🤩

[@saskiaguy1940]

Really thought-provoking, Joe! I’m definitely going to try recording myself - and I’m pretty sure I’m going to cringe, too! But I see the value in it because I will recognise areas where I can change, which will only serve to better my ability to teach effectively 👌🏼😊

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks a lot, buddy! Oh yeah, you'll cringe. But cringe on through it! Haha. Cheers!

[@Achangedname2000]

I didn't really feel like talking about this but here I am. They ended my contract all of a sudden stating they will only take "teachers belonging to a highly selective category". Now after 3 years and a half and almost 4,000 successfully taught lessons with an average of 9,70 and considering that some students stopped studying there after I have been thrown out, I don't imagine that I was THAT disposable. I would like to ask the lovely consultants in here if I anyone else received the ending of agreement letter.

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Very sorry to hear this, Nagy.

[@ericfink1331]

This is a good video and some good advice. I think what I struggle with is low self-esteem.

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks, Eric. Know that we all struggle with self-esteem at some level. You're a nice guy, and I'm sure a good teacher. Don't be timid, brother, flaunt your skills. 😊

[@ericfink1331]

@@JoeMilneEnglish Thanks for the compliment!

[@madeleineking5252]

I'm a new online teacher, I felt this way from the start. It's a constant battle to ensure I I don't get the better of myself. I'm still trying to find my teaching style but I won't give up. This vid helped a lot, glad to know I'm not alone. BTW.. You need to step up that dance.. Where is the rose between the lips🌹😋

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks so much, Madeleine! Glad you liked the video and I'm happy it rang true with you. We're all in the same boat most of the time! ☺️

[@grahamcaley9748]

Awesome Joe!

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Cheers!

[@teach4speech710]

Your videos just keep getting better and better. You make me laugh. You make me think. I have felt like a fraud every time I cannot seem to get a student (who I believe is capable) to engage and produce. Today I had a regular who would not produce a single sentence independently - at level 6. I was not sure if the student was even listening. They would occasionally parrot part of a phrase, and that was all. It felt like pulling teeth - with tweezers! It was a low point in my day. For me, it really struck home just how important I can be to my students when I had a class of adults. I had an engineer, a nurse, a kindergarten teacher, and a university geography teacher. Where I am from, every one of these people makes more money than me and excelled in academic areas in which I struggled. I was intimidated...until I realized they were afraid to make mistakes in front of me. They cared what I thought, and were still self-conscious about putting themselves out there. They trusted me to teach them skills that *I* possess, and to validate their learning experience. This was both empowering and humbling. I really tried to use their professional experiences to bolster their confidence and to show I care about them as individuals. I try to always teach that mistakes are simply opportunities to improve. When I have low points, I try to remember how I felt in that class. It reminds me how much I have to offer.

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Well said. It is intimidating sometimes, but our help means a lot. We are empowered with what we can offer, and we should strive to offer more.

[@cynthiapaola83]

Love the video! It made me reflect on a couple of things that I do that maybe I could improve. I guess, after you teach online sometimes you just get confortable and forget about little things that do make a big difference. Question, what website do you use to find the history and etymology for words? Thanks Joe 😊

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks for the comment, Cynthia! You're a loyal viewer! And I agree! 🤩 So, I use Merriam-Webster or just Google "define (word)", then click "more" and sometimes the etymology is there. 😊

[@cynthiapaola83]

@@JoeMilneEnglish thanks for the info 💜 I look forward to your next video 😊

[@frcruz1784]

wow, you are absolutely right.

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks so much!

[@frcruz1784]

I've experienced this occasionally, and working out at the gym has helped me change how I feel.

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Yep, physical exercise helps!

[@frcruz1784]

@@JoeMilneEnglish Indeed!

[@katiechang7352]

my students all think I don't eat food...They are shocked when they see my eat food in a shop or take my kids out to eat.

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Hahahaha, I bet! Like... "Teacher Katie...? You're not supposed to exist in this exterior world..." haha.

[@TeresaC168]

Great video 👌 what program do you use to create your videos?

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks, I use Da Vinci Resolve.

[@TeresaC168]

@@JoeMilneEnglish thank you so much Joe!

[@1seipai]

You certainly don't kiss your boss on the cheek now even if you want to! 🤣

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

You could always blow a kiss... from under your mask. 😷

[@brynjd]

Hi Joe. Thanks for the awesome content. I would love to know if it's possible for me to get in contact with you? Cheers!

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Sure, [e-mail]

[@brynjd]

@@JoeMilneEnglish many thanks I'lll be in contact with you soon!

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

No comments on the dance? Wowwwwww. You put yourself out there like that and... 😅

[@susansmith9694]

Joe, thank you for such a helpful and well-made video. Your humble and sincere persona is what I think makes you so enjoyable. And as for the dance, well, we would need to see more of it to really make any judgements. Maybe you can watch a BTS video to learn some moves and incorporate them into your next video.

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

@@susansmith9694 Thanks so much, Susan! Lovely feedback. No more dancing from me, I'm afraid. That was bad enough! Haha.

[@englishlessons-no5lm]

It was too short, Joe! You'll have to dance longer to get some comments! 😊

[@circleofattention6021]

This video deserves 1million views 😍

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks!

[@1seipai]

Sound advice. Do you you teach more kids or adults?

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks a lot. I'd say it's about 30% kids, 70% adults.

[@abdullaahali9208]

Awesome video Joe! Something we can all resonate with at some stages in our careers. Where have you been? Missed your content. Joe, I was wondering if I could contact you... it's quite urgent and I think you can help me.

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Hi buddy, thanks for your comment. You can contact me at [e-mail] - more content on the horizon. I'm focusing on quality over quantity these days. A video like this takes a long time to produce start to finish. But I'm still loving it. 😊

[@franciscaokunrintemi8010]

Hi Mr. Joe, I love your videos. Please, how do I get an ESL job from Nigeria?

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks, Francisca. You could look at online ESL companies. Give it a quick Google search and you'll find something. 😊

[@franciscaokunrintemi8010]

@@JoeMilneEnglish Thanks a lot, I appreciate sir!

[@nemanjaaleksic5956]

Hello Joe, I have trouble teaching a small child some basic English words. We are doing online material, with animation, picture, EVERYTHING, but still the child does not understand.... Recently her mother left me a note saying she likes my approach but after the class child has no clue what had happend... How can I make this child understand? Example: I am showing my hand and telling her what it is, still afterwards she has no clue... WTF DO I DO :(

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Hey, I'd have to watch the class to give feedback really. But yeah, TPR, slow pace, very short sentences with everything acted out. Should work.

[@nemanjaaleksic5956]

@@JoeMilneEnglish I appreciate fast reply, but tbh I am showing my hand and I keep telling her what it is for million times and she still doesn't get it..I don't know how to make it more simpler then that.. 😔

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

@@nemanjaaleksic5956 me neither really. I'd have to see it.

[@SilvioSalieri]

Hello Joe, I find these videos you make very informative. I have another question concerning online tutoring, I hear they prefer to hire women over men. Is there any truth to this ?

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks a lot! I mean... It's a sensitive issue, but I would say that most parents would prefer that women teach their young children, so it may play a role in the hiring of ESL teachers. However, I've never felt discriminated against and I don't think anyone should for that reason.

[@franciscaokunrintemi8010]

Thanks for the video

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

No problem!

[@aidenswartz8502]

Hey Joe, I really appreciate all the advice you give. :) Do you think it's possible to start teaching online now, with no experience, just from the 120hr TEFL Course? It's something I really want to do, even if I had to start small or slow. I'd just like to know that it can happen. Thanks! :)

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks a lot. I think it's possible as long as you're passionate and put in the effort to learn a lot before you jump in. It's very competitive, so you really do need to try your best and be your best.

[@annmurphy9017]

Sound advice Joe...

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thank you, Ann. I hope you enjoyed the video.

[@zadimarbeck503]

Hello Joe :) Are you still working for ITG?

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Hey, I am.

[@firstgradereadingstars3416]

I just love your videos... you’re so cool 👍

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Thanks so much!

[@abar612]

A recent episode of NPRs Hidden Brain said those who are critical of themselves actually achieve meaningful success. If you don't think you know "enough", not good enough, it can turn into ever ongoing self improvement. Have a listen if you're looking for more!

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

Truth!

[@thgdrsgs]

1 dis already, talk about polarizing

[@JoeMilneEnglish]

It happens. 😅