Best ways to hide mistakes
What are some of the best ways to hide instructor mistakes? For example - wrong answers, not knowing the answers, incorrect student names, etc?
Hi Lori,
You should never try to hide mistakes as you stated. I agree more respect is granted if you own up to the mistake. We are going to make mistakes, we are HUMAN!
Patricia
Hiding a mistake is not creating a good environment for the student to learn. It puts them in a situation where they can not trust YOU as the instructor. You need to tell them that you are only human and can make mistakes just like everyone else. I do believe the student will respect you more than if you lied.
Hi Amy:
I have found that a bit of humor goes a long way when admitting to a mistake. That is the first mistake I have EVER MADE...not. Human beings make mistakes and instructors are human. Do not dwell on it, and move on, trying not to repeat but learn from the experience. I mention to my students that we all should learn from mistakes of others, but the ones we seem to learn the best from are our own mistakes!
John
Hi Christine,
You are on point! Never cover up a mistake. Admit the mistake and move forward. Covering up mistakes in the workplace could possibly result into termination.
Patricia
I don't believe we should hide mistakes that we make. As career college instructors we are teaching the material and accepted standards and practises in our career field.
I wouldn't want my students to think that it is acceptable to make mistakes in the work place and try to cover them up. That is unethical and in certain situations could result in costly damage.
Hi Hector,
We all make mistakes. Students should understand this it is natural to make mistakes.
Patricia
Hi Amy,
I agree with the statement that you should not hide the mistakes, on the contrary, expose them in a professional way so that students can see you as a human being and as a role model who recognize such mistakes. In my personal experience, when applies I had even made fun of them.
I think honesty is always the best policy. I think it sets the right example for the student as well. If we aren't honest then how can we expect our students to be. I think by taking responsibility for our mistakes helps the students realize that we too are only human. I think if we are not sure of an answer, we can honestly state that we're not sure and include everyone to look it up together or defer it so that we can get more information. Then be sure to come back with the information for your students. Apologize for mistakes, make it right and then move forward.
Hi Jonathan,
As an instructor you should not have anything to hide. No, we would not like it.
Patricia
Hi Charlotte,
I've also open this to the class to research and share the answer. Those who found the correct answer will get bonus points toward a daily assignment grade.
Patricia
Whenever I do not know the answer to a question (I'm not an encyclopedia), I tell my students that I will get them an answer by the next break. I can consult my colleagues, other resources and get them a good answer in a timely fashion. It's never a good idea to give a possibly false or inadequate answer to save face.
Hi Carolyn,
I concur. You should not hide mistakes. It is human nature to make them. Everyone makes mistakes.
Patricia
I have the perfect story for this situation: One time I was in a restaurant, and a guy was complaining to his server that some of the hashbrowns of the pile of hashbrowns were crispy. The guy was yelling at the server and said, "What's going on? I asked for the hashbrowns not to be crispy! So what did you do? You gave them to me crispy anyway by hiding the crispy ones in the middle!" Obviously, I thought it was rude that that man was yelling at the server, but imagine if our students yelled at us every time we tried to hide something. We wouldn't like it, now would we?
Hi William,
If you mess up, fess up!
Patricia
Being a real person, one has to fess up to not being perfect. Let the class know on day one, that, Life is full of mistakes, also let them know that one works through them, Laugh at youself, move on and thats it.
I think that attempting to hide instructor mistakes is counterproductive. I want students, and others, to admit mistakes and learn from them. I counldn't accept less from myself.
Hi Mike,
As long as we live we will make mistakes. Take Mike's advice and move forward.
Patricia
Nobody knows everything. In my line of work mistakes can and do happen. Take the high road, admit a mistake and make the best of it. A mistake is a learning opportunity.
Hello Amy,
Mistakes should not be hidden; own up to your mistakes and move forward.
Patricia
