I do this as well. I feel it helps the student/teacher relationship if the instructor owns up to their mistakes. It shows the students that we are all human and that making mistakes is okay. I encourage my students to just try and put forth the effort even if it means mistakes are made! You have to make mistakes in order to learn and do a better job next time!
Cheryl,
Great. Good attitude to adopt. Now, if every other question is answered with I don't know but I'll get the answer, perhaps more preparation is needed.
Barry Westling
I absolutely agree. when i let my students know i am wrong, or i don't know something, but will get them the right answer, then they do realize i am human too.
Rena,
Students appreciate and respect an instructor who shows their vulnerability, honesty, and humility by quickly admitting mistakes, apology, and correction. This also builds trust.
Barry Westling
I admit my mistake at the base of human beign and we lear all life .
Education is a life long thing.
I laugh and we laugh todether.
Pietro,
Honesty, humility, and kindness never go out of style. With mistakes, quickly admitting them, apologizing, correcting them, students will appreciate and tend to respect instructors who are authenic about their role as an imperfect individual.
Barry Westling
This is very true. Many times my hands move so fast they do not ever see it. Or, the situation dictates change in which a mistake does happen. It is humbling, and mistakes will happen where their are many variable. I think more importantly as a model in our field is to demonstrate to our students how we react when we make a mistake. We can approach the old way get all pissed off and want to fuss and cuss or in a professional matter that is calm. Our students will mimic us when they get into the working world.
Mary,
Honesty is an admirable quality. It goes along with humility and kindness. This doesen't have to conflict with instructor confidence or competence. Students appreciate when they recognize a natural, genuine individual, with all their imperfections. Yes, immediately admitting mistakes, apology, and getting the correct information is key to building trust and respect.
Barry Westling
I feel that among the most important tools I can give my students are the resources and the desire to find answers to their questions. When I don't have an answer to a question (and sometimes when I do) we'll get out reference sources and find the answers as a group.
Spring,
How we are portrayed by students is often shaped by our degree of openness and realatability to students, and one sure way to keep open lines of communication is honesty and the willingness to admit errors...or to say I'm sorry.
Barry Westling
I agree Abel and I also let them know if I don't know the answer to a question right then but that I will research it and find out. I thinks that helps them to know that you don't have to know that I am not a know it all and that I learn along with them.
I too inform my students when I am wrong or when I am not sure of something. This is something that I had to learn throughout my teaching career but it has helped me earn credability.
Judy,
I think it is a responsibility, not an option, to be honest with students, and that includes admitting mistakes, and the subsequent correction for errors made. Whether students will respect us or not, it is the right thing to do. I do think students are generally appreciative when a moment of honesty is displayed, and perhaps there will be a lesson in just that.
Barry Westling
I agree that honesty is the best policy and telling my students when I am wrong or when I do not know something is totally okay. I tell my students on the first of day of each class that there will be some questions and concepts that I may not always know but the most important part of learning and teaching is not necessarily knowing all of the answers but more importantly knowing where and how to get the answers when we don't know them.
I think students have more respect for an instructor that is honest and understands that it is okay and understandable not to know everything and that we are all human and can learn something new everyday.
I believe that instructors learn something from every one of their students and this needs to be part of the classroom expectations and understandings.
Abel,
It take a humble person to admit a mistake, yet in a strange way, although identifying a weakness, it conveys strength. Relating to students in a normal way creates a sense of normalacy.
Barry Westling
