Teachers spend their careers helping students reach their potential, yet few are ever encouraged to think about their own.
In a profession where excellent work often goes unnoticed, building professional visibility can quietly slip to the bottom of the priority list. However, according to one expert, being intentional about their reputation isn't about climbing the ladder, but about sharing expertise, influencing practice and making a greater impact.
A former Asia Pacific Learning Professional of the Year, Leanne Hughes has worked with leaders and teams in education, government, aviation and professional services.
Her new book, Work Fame, gives professionals practical ways to become known for what they do best. For teachers, that might mean sharing a strategy that's working in their classroom, running a professional learning session for colleagues, or getting to know teachers at other schools.
None of it requires blowing your own trumpet, Hughes says. But it can lead to new projects and leadership roles, and give teachers a bigger say in where their profession is heading.
Why sharing isn’t the same as bragging
For plenty of teachers, the idea of talking up their own work is enough to make them want to hide under the desk. Hughes says getting noticed starts with a simple change in how they think about sharing.
"My first suggestion is to reframe it," Hughes told The Educator. "Instead of thinking, 'I have to promote myself,' think, 'I’m sharing what’s working because it can help someone else’."
Hughes said the same instinct behind everyday recommendations among friends belongs in the staffroom too.
"I know I love it when a friend shares a great recipe, or their thoughts on a recent movie - we trust our peers for recommendations. So, if something is working for you in a work context, why not share the love?" she said.
"Pick one thing that worked well this term. It might be a lesson plan that flowed beautifully, a way you settled a tricky class, or a resource that saved you hours. Then simply share that idea with another teacher to get started."
The second thing, said Hughes, is to start keeping what she calls 'Work Receipts' in the book.
"These are notes of wins, thank-you emails from parents, positive feedback from students, or great messages from fellow teachers," she said. "You can start a folder on your computer, or simply create a photo album on your phone to store screenshots."
Hughes said this is helpful practice for two reasons.
"First, we tend to gloss over the good stuff really quickly. Second, when you do sit down with your leader, it's nice to have something tangible to share - third-party social proof of your work is more impactful than 'talking yourself up'," she said.
"Plus, in those moments when you are questioning your impact (which we all do from time to time) it’s great to look back on those Work Receipts to give you a bit of a pep in your step."
Cutting down the tall poppy problem
Australians have a long and complicated relationship with tall poppies, and the staffroom is hardly immune. So does that reluctance to stand out stop teachers from sharing what they know? Hughes believes it can.
"Schools are often highly collegial places, which is a wonderful thing. But sometimes that can make people nervous about appearing too ambitious, or as though they think they are better than everyone else," she said. "Add a full workload and a culture of just getting on with it, and great practice can stay hidden in individual classrooms."
For principals and leaders encouraging a “share-back” culture, Hughes said it might begin with them nominating other people, but giving them a heads-up before a staff meeting.
"You might say: 'Hey, I really love what you did. I’d encourage you to showcase it, and I’m happy to support you to do that,'" Hughes said. "Open up the floor over time: 'In future, we’d really love you to share some bright spots in your classroom. What’s working? What challenges have you gotten through?"
Hughes said can leaders can then create small, regular places for people to share.
"This could be a five-minute 'what worked' slot in a staff meeting, a rotating lunch-and-learn, or a peer-led demonstration," she said. "The important part is to normalise sharing what's working; and make it low-stakes to participate."
Why teachers’ best work can’t be automated
As AI takes on more of the routine work that eats into teachers’ days, the question of what it can’t do is becoming harder to ignore. For Hughes, the answer points squarely back to the classroom.
"AI can help teachers with parts of the workload: drafting a lesson outline, generating an activity, adapting the reading level of a text, or helping with the first pass of routine communication," she said. "Ideally, it helps so much that teachers can focus their energy on the things that brought them into the job - having a powerful impact on their students."
Hughes said the skills no machine can replicate are set to become teachers’ greatest asset.
"I think the parts of teaching that will matter most are the deeply human ones: creating a sense of belonging, leading a room, explaining ideas in ways that make students feel capable, having good conversations with families, and using professional judgement about what a learner needs next," she said.
"Teachers will also become even more valuable as guides: helping young people learn how to question information, use AI thoughtfully, and develop their own ideas rather than outsource their thinking."