Mistakes
Instructor Mistakes
The most important part about making a mistake is taking responsibility for it! And I guess, even more importantly, is admitting it to your students. The truth of the matter is everyone makes mistakes; they are a part of life. But what do we do? Learn from them! The first step to learning is admitting. If students see you take ownership of your mistakes and go through this process, not only are you correcting yourself, but you are teaching them how to handle mistakes in their lives.
It's very humbling when you've prepared a great test or power point, and discover a glaring mistake too late! Instructors are not perfect, but the way we repond to our mistakes can be a model for the students.
I agree, we have to take responsibility for it. I also use humor in my class, and the sooner, the better. We are all human, and it happens.
Making mistakes is a part of life. Everybody makes mistakes. The key to making a mistake is admitting that you made a mistake. Once during a presentation, I used the word "Hysterical" instead of "Historical." I knew I had made a mistake, but I laughed at myself (instead of crying) and admitted that I had used the wrong word. I was truly horrified, but nobody knew it!
