'Teaching doesn't need perfection - it teaches you to be humble very quickly'

When Luke Dootson received an email asking him to speak about his teacher-training experience at a conference, his first thought wasn't excitement.

"I honestly thought they'd sent it to the wrong person," he laughs. His second thought? "If I say yes, I'll have to sound like I know what I'm doing."

It's a feeling many people will recognise. The fear that everyone else knows more. The worry that you're not quite ready. The question so many ask themselves before making a career change: 'Am I really capable of doing this?'

Today, Luke is a qualified English teacher and head of English at a school that provides alternative education for students with additional learning needs, helping young people thrive.

Working with pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, Luke quickly realised that the relationships he built with young people were making a difference.

Seeking an even greater impact, he began training at the National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) while continuing to work in the school community he had come to care deeply about.

He received an award for mentorship from the institute and was invited to speak at a national education conference in London about his experiences.

Great support

Looking back on his training year, Luke, who had a background in filmmaking, says the support he received made a huge difference.

"I had an amazing experience. The support from tutors and mentors along the way was incredible - they were always happy to help and genuinely felt invested in my journey."

Like many trainees, he began with nerves and more than a little self-doubt.

"Everyone else seemed so confident," he says. "They all spoke in acronyms, stayed calm when things went wrong and seemed to know exactly what they were doing. Meanwhile, I was celebrating small victories like remembering my passwords or getting through a lesson without saying, 'Actually… ignore that' three times."

But he soon discovered something important. He said: "Teaching doesn't require perfection. It teaches you to be humble very quickly.

"We all start with these big ideas about changing lives and delivering perfect lessons. Then you realise that some days success simply means nobody cried, nobody escaped and someone actually wrote their name on the page - even if they spelt it wrong."

Somewhere between the lesson planning, observations and feedback, Luke realised teaching wasn't about getting everything right.

"It's about showing up again and again, even when it's messy. You learn to think on your feet, laugh when technology fails and accept that tomorrow is another chance to get it right - or at least slightly less wrong."

One lesson in particular changed his perspective. Trying to encourage a group of students who were frightened of making mistakes, Luke decided to inspire them with one of Winston Churchill's most famous quotes.

"'Success is going from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm,' I told them. I thought I'd really reached them. Then one pupil slowly raised his hand and asked, 'Churchill… is that the dog from the adverts?'"

Instead of disappointment, Luke found himself laughing. "That moment taught me that teaching isn't about sounding impressive. It's about connection. It's about meeting young people where they are - even if where they are is thinking Winston Churchill is a CGI bulldog."

The message still landed.

Become a teacher

Reflecting on his own journey, Luke says the biggest lesson he learned was one he now tries to pass on to his pupils.

"When you're standing in front of students who are struggling, you realise they feel exactly how we felt at the start of training. Unsure, afraid of getting it wrong. Convinced everyone else understands something they don't.

"That's why we don't need perfect teachers. We need enthusiastic ones. Resilient ones. Human ones."

For anyone who has ever considered teaching but questioned whether they're good enough, Luke has a simple message.

"If you're waiting until you feel completely ready, you'll probably wait forever. I certainly didn't feel ready. But sometimes you just have to say yes and trust that you'll grow into it."

And if things don't go perfectly? "Keep your enthusiasm anyway," he says. After all, even when the silence isn't inspiration, and even when it's followed by a question about a dog, teaching has a way of changing lives - including your own.

Luke's story is proof that you don't need all the answers before you begin. You just have to be willing to take the first step.

Applications for September 2026 teacher training programmes at the National Institute of Teaching close on Friday, July 10, though some courses may close earlier as places fill.

Working with schools across England, the National Institute of Teaching offers school-led, salaried, fee-paying and apprenticeship routes into teaching.

Find out more or register your interest at niot.org.uk