Learning by Teaching: How Classroom Challenges Shape Teachers’ Professional Development

Traditional models of teachers’ professional development (TPD) emphasize formal training, workshops, and certification programs; however, persistent gaps between these programs and classroom practice raise questions about their effectiveness. This article argues that everyday classroom challenges shape teachers’ professional development more strongly than formal training alone by positioning teaching as a central site of professional learning. The study adopts a qualitative, interpretive design and draws on written reflective narratives from 12 secondary school teachers working in Moroccan public schools. Data were collected through open-ended prompts and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings show that challenges related to students’ lack of foundational knowledge, low motivation, mixed-ability classrooms, and loss of confidence drive professional growth through processes of problem-solving, adaptation, and ongoing decision-making. These processes foster deeper professional understanding than externally delivered training by prompting teachers to reinterpret methods, reassess assumptions, and develop context-sensitive strategies. Rather than rejecting formal training, the study positions it as secondary to experiential learning in the classroom. It concludes by proposing an interpretive, practice-driven model of professional development in which learning by teaching constitutes the foundation of teachers’ professional growth, with implications for teacher education and policy.