Making mistakes while teaching

[constantinople]

I couldn't find a similar thread though I know there used to be one around.

I made a really stupid mistake in class today. I've only been back in teaching mode for a week so I don't feel extremely terrible about it, as I know it was all just a brain fart, but still feel embarrassed. It's also been ages since I've written things out by hand (have been typing mostly, for half a year) and I know that contributed to the mistake I made. I wrote a word on the board, using the correct spelling, but it just looked off for some reason, so I changed it but it still looked like it had an error, so I asked my co-teacher which spelling is correct. It was the first. When I type it out on my computer it's a no-brainer, just automatic.

I just want some reassurance that making mistakes as a teacher is not the end of the world ;) I've only had this happen to me one other time (that I know of!) and hopefully it won't happen again.

Anyone care to share their embarrassing stories?

[Jozigirl]

Making mistakes in class is not a big issue.  I think it is good because it shows the students that it's okay to make mistakes.  I love it when my kids point out an error because it shows that they're focusing on the lesson.  Nobody's perfect and mistakes happen.  We all have our moments.

[#basedcowboyshirt]

It happens. I've had moments where I completely blanked and couldn't figure out if something was spelled correctly or not. I asked my co-teacher, and it was no big deal.

It was a good chance to show my students that even native speakers make mistakes and that it doesn't really matter. Ain't no thang.


Also, once, when I was brutally tired, I literally spelled 'correct' with a 'k.' That was a low point.

[JF512]

I have to agree with Jozigirl that it's okay to make mistakes while teaching. I also find it awesome when my students and/or co-teacher points out a mistake that I make when I write on the board, etc. In a way, it really does give students a light bulb moment: it tells them that it is okay for them to make mistakes because nobody is perfect. What I've noticed about students is that they generally don't like to participate unless they know for sure that they are correct. They don't want to give out the wrong answer. Therefore, if you show them that even you (the teacher, who is supposed to be this iconic model for the students) that you make mistakes even as a grown-up, it'll put them at ease.

This isn't to say that you won't come across a couple of students that will look down on you because you are supposed to be this hoity-toity perfectionist. I've run into quite a few of those since I've started teaching in S. Korea. The sad truth is... you're not going to be able to please everybody, or teach everybody something valuable all the time. But you are going to have some sort of impact on them no matter what you do. As long as your intentions are true, you'll be a great teacher.

[Tpre022]

My co-teacher asked me to demonstrate the correct pronunciation of "woman" and "women" to the class. I had a total mind blank moment and pronounced  the second one totally weird. Co-teach: "Er... isn't it more like this?" Me: "Oh... right... yeah I guess it is." Awkward! Guess I'm forgetting how to English ^_^

[constantinople]

Thanks for sharing your stories and points of view. I feel a lot better.

I guess I should have taken the opportunity when it happened to say exactly that, that everyone makes mistakes. I'll be sure to make a point of it when it happens again :D

[TheWB18]

Spelling I'm usually OK with.  However today I played one particular video, then proceeded to go through a PPT quiz about the video.  Something didn't seem right. I slowly realized I had shown the wrong video, and so only the first question or two had anything to do with the video.

I was flustered for a moment, then I just figured, might as well tell them what happened.  They laughed. 

[Yu_Bumsuk]

I make spelling mistakes on the board all the time. Sometimes I'll even stop and we'll play 'Who can find the mistake?' with the winner getting a little candy. And if I write translations in Korean you can almost count on mistakes. The other week I was translating subjects and I just got a student to take over.

[Andyroo]

I remember the first day back from winter break I had a shocker and miss spelt at least a couple of words and took a long time on spelling another. Probably didn't make the best initial impression with my new co teacher.

Students absolutely love it when I make a mistake.

[Yu_Bumsuk]

I just noticed that I misspelled 'picnic' on my calendar.

[aalexandromoreno]

I made a mistake today. I did only question 1 of 4 of a Think and Write and then said, "okay, class. Now turn to page 34"
And they said, "you forgot the other questions."  I laughed sheepishly, face palmed, and said, "Okay, question 2!"
Not the end of the world and like everyone is saying, it shows the kids that everyone makes mistakes sometimes and that encourages them to take more chances.

[flasyb]

Not wanting to make mistakes is one of the main reasons why the majority of my co-teachers don't come to class. In Korean high schools, the students hate making mistakes so much that the majority opt to sit in silence (I'm talking about all classes, not just English here) and as teachers are supposed to be fountains of all knowledge (well, besides the textbook, anyway), they want to make mistakes even less so they absent themselves from class.

This is fundamentally opposed to building confidence in learning English. That's why whenever I make a mistake and the students point it out, I don't make a big deal because making a mistake isn't a big deal. No face-palming or blushing. Just, "Oh [corrects mistake], thanks!" and I flash the student a smile for helping me to get it right.

[globalgourmand]

Koreans and Korean students DESPERATELY NEED examples of making mistakes with humor, grace, and self-acceptance. The way they punish and instill fear over mistakes here is debilitating creative culture and independent thought, in my opinion.

Please be brave and make yourself an example of the idiom: to err is human; to forgive, divine.  ;)

I've been wanting to do a lesson for my advanced students on rhetorical questions. Specifically: who cares? and so what?

[JahRhythm]

Koreans and Korean students DESPERATELY NEED examples of making mistakes with humor, grace, and self-acceptance. The way they punish and instill fear over mistakes here is debilitating creative culture and independent thought, in my opinion.

Please be brave and make yourself an example of the idiom: to err is human; to forgive, divine.  ;)

I've been wanting to do a lesson for my advanced students on rhetorical questions. Specifically: who cares? and so what?

I agree. Modeling this behavior effectively can have a positive influence on students.

[Superchick3]

Making mistakes is fine at my school as long as it is not regular I have found. Also, I find it is a give and take at my school. I can correct some things and they can correct me. However when I was at an adult hagwon they were ready to ax me for just being friendly in class rather than super strict.

[peasgoodnonsuch]

Last week, I was doing a travel lesson and I confused the Falkland Islands and the Canary Islands. I told all my kids the Canary Islands were off the coast of South America! Oops    ???

[kiwigirl]

Reading this I realise that I make quite a few mistakes, I think I am lucky as my kids are really good and we can share a laugh.  I'm really bad at spelling, and as someone else said most of my writing for many years now has been done on the computer.  I tell the kids I'm not good at spelling - I figure I'm there to teach them to speak not to spell, sometimes if I'm writing from the book I just call out - how do you spell this and someone will find it in the book and let me know. I do get kids telling me to dot my i's all the time, I never do and they think it is an l if I don't - so I go back and put the dots on for them. 

I think its good when they point things out because as another poster said it shows they are paying attention, its nothing too serious maybe missing a question or something. 

One thing all my classes know is that I am chronic at forgetting to take my USB from the Korean teachers computer when I leave the class, I need it for each class so when I get to my next class and realise I don't have it I have to go back and get it.  I now have kids reminding me at the end of class - 'Teacher, have you got your USB?' - very cute.

[Chicagohotdog]

I was teaching large numbers last week and completely brain-farted on some basic addition.  I added the numbers up to the wrong amount in my head because I skipped the last number and all the students had it right and I was just like...yeah...

I just try to shrug off mistakes and not make them a big deal.  If you make it a big deal the students will remember.  If you let it go so will they.  Correct yourself if you were wrong, especially about an English concept, but try to be subtle about it.

[ESLinsider]

It's o.k. I agree that giving the kids less pressure will help. People make mistakes.

[KatieG]

Just started teaching in Korea 3 weeks ago and had my first mistake on the board pointed out to me by a student and I was mortified.  But reading this has helped and I like the idea of turning it into a competition to see who can spot the mistake (........ if I spot it first).  I was also really doubting my spelling because I'd write something up (I'm from the UK) and the students are used to US spelling, and I wonder if it would be better to use US spelling, for my lower level classes at least, in case I'm just confusing them by doubling up the vocab they have to learn sometimes.