E156
Julie Ressler on Imposter Phenomenon: When Great Teachers Secretly Feel Like Frauds
From Music Ed Insights · Hosted by Steve Shanley
Episode summary
In this episode of Music Ed Insights: Adult learning expert Dr. Julie Ressler joins us to unpack imposter phenomenon—why some of the most competent, caring educators still feel like they’re faking it. Drawing on her research with high-achieving professionals (including school-trained musicians and leaders), Julie explains why she prefers “phenomenon” over “syndrome,” how IP shows up in teachers as overpreparing, perfectionism, and fear of being “found out,” and why it often hits hardest when we step into…
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Original publisher description
Adult learning expert Dr. Julie Ressler joins us to unpack imposter phenomenon—why some of the most competent, caring educators still feel like they’re faking it. Drawing on her research with high-achieving professionals (including school-trained musicians and leaders), Julie explains why she prefers “phenomenon” over “syndrome,” how IP shows up in teachers as overpreparing, perfectionism, and fear of being “found out,” and why it often hits hardest when we step into new roles or high-pressure schools. From there, we explore practical strategies K–12 music teachers can use right away: reframing negative self-talk with a growth mindset, recognizing the difference between healthy stretch and toxic self-doubt, using “evidence files” to counter distorted beliefs, and modeling for students what it looks like to pursue excellence without pretending to be perfect.