Let me take you back to the fall of 2004.
I was standing in a Spanish classroom I hadn’t planned to be in. The teacher had walked out, the substitute didn’t speak Spanish, and I volunteered to help… just for a while. I didn’t know then that it would turn into 21 years of teaching—and a journey full of growth, self-doubt, aha moments, and yes… burnout.
That first year, I thought exhaustion was normal. I stayed up late designing every lesson, convinced that if I just worked harder, everything would fall into place. But it didn’t. I felt exhausted, unsure, and overwhelmed.
Looking back now, I can name five specific lessons I wish someone had told me then. Maybe you’re in that place right now. If so, I hope these reflections offer not just perspective—but permission to breathe.
1. Clarity is Everything in Language Teaching
In those early years, I believed I was doing everything I was supposed to do. I drilled verbs, assigned vocabulary lists, and taught every grammar rule I could find. But when my students couldn’t speak even the simplest Spanish in a real conversation, I was crushed.
The truth? My goals and my methods didn’t align. I said I wanted them to use the language, but I was teaching them to memorize it—not acquire it. And even when they did try to use the language, I felt like it only counted if they used it “correctly.”
Things shifted when I got clear: my true goal was for my students to understand and use Spanish to connect and communicate. Once I had that clarity, I could finally work backward and ask: What needs to happen in class to get them there? That’s when I began exploring Second Language Acquisition—and everything started making more sense.
When you’re clear on your goal, your research and planning naturally align with that vision. Instead of chasing shiny new strategies or activities, you focus on what actually supports your students in reaching that goal. Without that clarity, it’s easy to feel busy but unproductive—constantly doing, but not moving forward.
2. It’s not all or nothing
I’ll never forget the summer I “started over.” I got rid of desks, the textbook, even grammar instruction. I wanted to do everything right—but I tried to do it all at once.
It didn’t go well.
The chaos was too much—for my students and for me. I wish I had known that meaningful change doesn’t require a complete overhaul. You can keep what’s working. You can transition slowly. You don’t need to do it all, and certainly not all at once.
And yet, we often talk about teaching in extremes: Should I teach grammar or not? Should I use vocabulary lists or not? Should I ditch the textbook or stick to it? These binary questions—yes or no, all or nothing—can leave us feeling overwhelmed and unsure.
That’s why inside the Spanish Teacher Academy, we’re very intentional about recognizing that each teacher’s context, needs, and circumstances are different. What works in one classroom may not in another.
What matters most is clarity. If you know why you’re choosing to teach a grammar concept or use a vocabulary list, and you’re deciding how to do it and for how long, then it’s a conscious, intentional choice—not a compromise.
It’s not about following rules or taking sides. It’s about finding what works for your students and your classroom—while staying focused on your goals.
Sustainable change and professional clarity are the foundation for real growth—and for avoiding burnout.
3. A Teaching Framework is More Powerful Than Endless Strategies
Once I discovered comprehensible input, I dove in headfirst. I tried every strategy I could find—calendar talk, weekend chat, story asking. Every day was something new. And it was overwhelming.
Eventually, I realized that I didn’t need more strategies. I needed a framework. So I sat down and defined my teaching pillars:
- Build meaningful classroom connections
- Stay comprehensible at every level
- Keep communication at the center of every lesson
These three ideas helped me choose what to keep and what to let go of. They brought structure to my chaos. This has been the most fundamental lesson for me. And if you want to know more about these 3 pillars, click here, here, and here.
Once I had my pillars, I was able to develop a framework to plan my units. Since I still needed to align to thematic units for IB and AP, I asked myself: What does that look like in a classroom grounded in acquisition? That reflection led to a planning approach I now share inside the Spanish Teacher Academy—and it became the foundation for the entire Creciendo curriculum.
The framework starts with an essential question and a story. From there, I focus on the language needed to talk about the topic, not the topic chosen to teach specific language. That shift—from grammar-driven to communication-driven—changed everything for me.
And it’s been amazing to see teachers inside the Academy use the same structure to create their own units with confidence. One teacher recently shared how she followed the framework to build a unit from scratch, and it felt easy because the pillars gave her direction. That’s what sustainable growth looks like.
Yes, the structure might seem repetitive at first—but that repetition builds confidence. And once the foundation is strong, it’s easier to adapt and layer in new strategies in a way that still feels grounded.
4. You Don’t Need to Build Every Lesson From Scratch
And that goes with my third point—it’s that you don’t have to start from scratch. I did. For years, I created everything myself, from warm-ups to assessments, readings, and classroom activities. And yes, I learned a lot because I tried, failed, adjusted, and tried again. But it was also exhausting.
I wish I had known that if I had started with my pillars and my instructional framework first, everything else would have been easier to adapt. The truth is, there’s no perfect resource and no perfect curriculum.
Even with the Creciendo curriculum I’ve created—my heart and my life’s work—I still make changes. We’re constantly improving it inside the Spanish Teacher Academy: adding unit guides, lesson plans, audio, and video. And still, every time I meet with teachers, I hear them say, “I adjusted this,” or “I added that,” and my response is always: YES. That’s exactly what I want.
I do it too. I’ll revisit a unit I taught last year, and I’ll find myself tweaking it to better suit this year’s class. Because each group of students is different. You don’t need to throw it all away—you just need to adapt it.
If you have your pillars, a clear instructional cycle, and a planning framework, making adjustments won’t feel overwhelming. It’ll feel empowering. That’s what I wish I had known sooner.
5. Language Teachers Thrive in Community
And last but not least, community.
For a long time, I tried to figure it all out on my own. I followed blogs, downloaded freebies, even attended conferences. Still, I felt isolated.
Things changed when I found a community of teachers who shared my values. Sharing stories, ideas, and struggles helped me feel seen and supported. It energized my teaching.
This isn’t just a feel-good idea—collective teacher efficacy is one of the strongest predictors of student success and teacher resilience. When we grow together, we do better—for ourselves and our students.
Final Thoughts on Teacher Burnout and Sustainable Growth
I’m so grateful I didn’t walk away from teaching during those hard years. But I know how close I came.
If you’re in a tough season, please hear this: you’re not alone. You’re not behind. You don’t have to do it perfectly.
Start with one small step. Clarify your teaching goal. Build a routine that reduces your decision fatigue. Reach out to others.
And if you’re a Spanish teacher—even if you’re just curious—I want to personally invite you to experience what it’s like to have clarity, structure, and support all in one place. That’s exactly what you’ll get during the 7-Day Start Experience inside the Spanish Teacher Academy.
For 7 days, you’ll get access to:
- A training that explains the foundations of second language acquisition
- A breakdown of the 3 pillars that guide everything we do
- A set of high-impact strategies you can try in your classroom immediately
- A full unit from our level 1 Creciendo curriculum, complete with materials
You’ll also get a behind-the-scenes look at how the Academy is organized to reduce overwhelm and help you grow—step by step. It’s not a sample. It’s an experience designed to help you see what’s possible in your own classroom.
This is available only for a limited time. The last day to sign up is May 20. Visit growingwithproficiency.com/7day to grab your spot.
You’re doing important work—and I’m cheering you on.
Find all episodes of GWP The Podcast here.
