25 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make and How to Avoid Them (55 page)

31.1. Describe the problem and your specific role in it.

I jokingly called a student dumb
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31.2. Why did you do what you did?

I was too relaxed in the conversation and was talking like I would to a friend
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31.3. What emotions or feelings were you experiencing at the time?

I felt at ease, laughing, kidding around
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31.4. Was your behavior justified? If so, why?

No
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31.5. Do you regret your action(s)?

Of course
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31.6. Do you ever think about this incident? If yes, approximately how often since the occurrence(s)?

Every few days for 2 months
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31.7. If faced with the same or a similar situation, what would you do?

Watch what I say and remember that I’m talking to a student
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Commentary

It is understandable that teachers are people and in a casual setting, they might make uncomplimentary statements in jest and their friends won’t take offense. However, in the classroom, teachers can avoid offending students by being vigilant about professionalism and by remembering that teachers should be friendly, not a friend to their students. An ironclad solution would be to only use kind words when interacting with others, especially your friends, and this kind of behavior will become a default reaction when interacting with students.

Mistake 17: Academic Shortcomings

Teacher # 32

A Scenario of a Teacher’s Worst Treatment of a Student

A student in my class was a constant distraction to me and the other students. When asked to stop he was very rude and disrespectful. One long morning, I had asked him to stop talking or sit down eight times in 20 minutes. It was the last straw. Once more I had to stop teaching and wait while he kept talking. Without thinking, I screamed, “Just shut up!” The class was silent as they looked at me in disbelief
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Motive Probe

32.1. Describe the problem and your specific role in it.

I told a student to shut up
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32.2. Why did you do what you did?

I was frustrated and it just came out!

32.3. What emotions or feelings were you experiencing at the time?

Anger and frustration
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32.4. Was your behavior justified? If so, why?

Yes and no. It felt good to say “shut up” because he deserved it, but I should have responded in a more appropriate way
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32.5. Do you regret your action(s)?

No
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32.6. Do you ever think about this incident? If yes, approximately how often since the occurrence(s)?

About two–four times in the past year
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32.7. If faced with the same or a similar situation, what would you do?

I would try not to scream shut up
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Commentary

Reverse psychology has its place in classroom management. To avoid having to constantly say sit down and stop talking, the teacher could give the student what he wants. She could have stopped her lesson and yielded the floor to the student for 5 minutes to allow him to say whatever he needed to say. All eyes would be on him. The class would be quiet and wait until he has finished. Usually, students will find it somewhat unnerving to have undivided attention focused on them. They may talk briefly, but most will decline the rest of the 5 minutes and will quiet down to avoid a redirect of focused attention.

Mistake 20: Teacher Misjudgment

Teacher # 33

A Scenario of a Teacher’s Worst Treatment of a Student

I judged a student wrongfully before he ever came to my class. He had an incident with another teacher and this is why they moved him to my class. I had already judged him as a troublemaker and “kept my eye” on him. He had a horseplay incident with another student and I read him the riot act. The next couple of days he got in trouble with illegal drugs and was sent to live with his grandparents
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Motive Probe

33.1. Describe the problem and your specific role in it.

I judged him without knowing him
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33.2. Why did you do what you did?

Ignorance
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33.3. What emotions or feelings were you experiencing at the time?

Angry that he had upset this class that I had, humming right along with his actions and behavior
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33.4. Was your behavior justified? If so, why?

Absolutely not! You should never judge a student before he/she arrives
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33.5. Do you regret your action(s)?

Yes, I could have made a difference
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33.6. Do you ever think about this incident? If yes, approximately how often since the occurrence(s)?

Yes, several times
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33.7. If faced with the same or a similar situation, what would you do?

Not act like that. Be more open and nonjudgmental
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Commentary

The faculty lounge is the source of much gossip about students. Teachers exchange student problems, form opinions, make judgments, develop expectations, and consequently ruin students’ chances for a clean slate and new, better behavior. To avoid prejudgment and unfair treatment, teachers can ignore faculty lounge gossip. They should welcome new students with the intent to create a better learning environment for those students and help them succeed, even if they are labeled as troublemakers. Remember, in some cases, the child may be truly innocent of any wrongdoing and indeed, the teacher could be at fault. Such a case would warrant a fresh start for a child, free of bias.

Teacher # 34

A Scenario of a Teacher’s Worst Treatment of a Student

It was my second class of 2000 and school house policy was no sleeping, or the appearance of sleeping. One male airman could just not stay awake in class. No matter how many times I had to tell him, he would just fall asleep. One day, I brought in a digital camera and when he fell asleep, I took some digital pictures, then downloaded them and displayed them in front of the whole class. The class was laughing hysterically, but he still did not awaken. At this point I was concerned so I scheduled him for an appointment at the Air Force medical center. It turns out he had sleep apnea
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Motive Probe

34.1. Describe the problem and your specific role in it.

An airman was sleeping in class. My job was to keep him awake
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34.2. Why did you do what you did?

I wanted to make an example of him
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34.3. What emotions or feelings were you experiencing at the time?

At first I was angry, then I was concerned because students must complete 13 semester hours of college credit in 6 weeks. They cannot afford to miss a minute
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34.4. Was your behavior justified? If so, why?

No, I should have taken a different approach. Send him to the doctor first!

34.5. Do you regret your action(s)?

Yes
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34.6. Do you ever think about this incident? If yes, approximately how often since the occurrence(s)?

Five years
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34.7. If faced with the same or a similar situation, what would you do?

I am still faced with this situation daily, but I stick to strict school policy of pulling an AF form 341 for the student. This will cause the student to receive remedial military training on the weekends
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Commentary

This teacher is guilty of assumption, a common “crime” where a teacher accepts something as true without corroborating evidence. He assumed the student airman was slacking because sleeping is incompatible with paying attention and learning. It would behoove all teachers to gather information before making an assumption. Insightful teachers suspect a problem when certain behaviors persist. He could have suggested that the airman see a medical doctor as his first attempt to deal with the problem. The public shaming appeared to be retribution for his belief that the airman was disrespecting him by sleeping; he retaliated by making a public display of the sleeping. The public shaming could have been avoided if the teacher had scheduled a private conference with the airman to gather information.

Teacher # 35

A Scenario of a Teacher’s Worst Treatment of a Student

A student was stealing from his classmates. I asked the entire class who had taken a specific item that particular day; I had an idea who it was because that same student had taken a watch from his grandmother. (This was another incident.)

Motive Probe

35.1. Describe the problem and your specific role in it.

I had everyone take everything out of their desks and I had everyone open their backpacks for a search
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35.2. Why did you do what you did?

I was determined to find out who was stealing. There had been more than one occasion
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35.3. What emotions or feelings were you experiencing at the time?

I was furious, at first, because I tried to approach the situation in a positive way. I had asked everyone to return the item and no questions would be asked
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35.4. Was your behavior justified? If so, why?

Searching the backpacks, I found the culprit and embarrassed him for not coming forth. He was now in more trouble
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35.5. Do you regret your action(s)?

Yes, I shouldn’t have embarrassed him
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35.6. Do you ever think about this incident? If yes, approximately how often since the occurrence(s)?

Yes, for one year
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35.7. If faced with the same or a similar situation, what would you do?

I’m not sure, maybe call the vice-principal and have her speak to him
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Commentary

I think the golden rule applies in situations like this. The student was clearly wrong, and should have consequences. However, I heard someone say that when we are wronged, we want justice and we want the person to pay, but when we are wrong and guilty, we want mercy and understanding. If this teacher was ever found guilty of some wrongdoing, I’m sure she would appreciate compassion and an opportunity to save face. To avoid embarrassing students, teachers should discipline with dignity by making their reprimands as private as possible. Once she knew who stole the item, she could have waited for an opportune time to talk to the student and to discuss the consequences. What the student was stealing may also be important. If a child steals food because they are hungry, reprimands and consequences may be inappropriate.

Teacher # 36

A Scenario of a Teacher’s Worst Treatment of a Student