Why Teachers Need to Be Authentic and True to Themselves

One of the most powerful lessons teachers can model for our students isn’t found in curriculum. It is authenticity.

As teachers, the balance of a professional persona and introducing students to our true selves can be a thin line. While we have to proceed with reasonable judgement, we don’t have to hide who we are. The best part about you … is YOU!

While professionalism is a must, we must be careful that we are not building a wall, closing our students off to who we are. Learning is a collaborative experience that necessitates a level of ease in relationships.

My first year of teaching was difficult. It’s hard to go from a dorm room to suddenly being “the teacher.” I tried far too hard to act like “the teacher” early in my career. Or at least who I thought “the teacher” was supposed to be.

I learned this the hard way early in my career. I observed respected teachers in their classroom who taught Social Studies, which I also teach. I observed great lessons. Inevitably, I borrowed those lessons, trying to emulate them in all their splendor, adding the same teacher jokes and all! They fell flat. Every … single … one. They weren’t me. There was little about them that fit my natural style and personality.

It took me nearly a decade into my career to realize that I was “the teacher,” and “the teacher” was me. My students call me many things, Mr. Rosser, Rosser, Ross Boss, etc. I am OK with all of those. Because all of those recognize me as “the teacher.”

Students have a sixth sense in spotting inauthenticity. When we try to be someone we’re not, whether it’s forcing a teaching style that doesn’t fit or masking our personality to fit an ideal, students disengage. When we show up as ourselves, our passions and our flaws, we build trust. Modeling this creates a classroom culture where students feel safe to be themselves, take risks and grow!

From a personal wellness standpoint, being authentic also helps us have a persona that is sustainable. Instead of playing a character, we teach using our strengths. When we lean into our strengths, whether that be a good teacher joke, story or our creativity, we create a learning environment where students can do the same. We teach more effectively and enjoy the process more.

Authenticity doesn’t mean an intermingling of our life with teaching or ignoring boundaries. It means aligning our values with our actions and teaching in a way that reflects who we are. It means admitting when we’re wrong, sharing what we care about, and showing that learning is a lifelong journey for everyone, including us.

2025-26 Michigan Teacher of the Year Corey Rosser is a social studies teacher at Quest High School in North Branch Area Schools in his 22nd year of teaching.