What do you think are the usual blunders teachers make? Some even lead to frustrating moments in class. Everyone has his or her own story, so let’s see what are the common mistakes a teacher can make that can lead to problems down the road.
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What Are the Common Mistakes a Teacher Can Make?
1. Being too serious in the classroom
Taking things too seriously leads you to overthink a lot. While the overall demeanor ensures getting things done early, you could also be “boring” and look older than your age.
Being a serious person can be smart because you don’t want your time wasted on unnecessary things. You’re constantly learning which makes you independent. Most of all, you know where you are going in life.
But the downside is that your working too hard can become a loophole that tricks you to look and work too earnest and humorless. It can hurt when you hear your class blurting out the words “This is boring.”
Some laughter is the quickest redirection. Other than it being a stress relief, giggles and guffaws are what definitely doctors would order you to do. It may not quickly lighten your load mentally, but it actually stimulates many organs that activate your stress response.
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2) The Desire to be in control
A teacher who looks like a “control freak” also makes the class feel frustrated. While it’s a good thing to make sure everyone is following the rules or your rules every time, going too straight to the extent of losing control can lead to things falling out of the line.
Control as an asset helps you lead and take action to get things done. You are not shy to work hard, you are determined and focused, and it gives you the authority to be fully in charge.
However, you cannot control everything. Every day is a different day, and your class is composed of different individuals. Therefore, you cannot take full control or impose on what you believe should work all the time.
If things will not always go your way, going middle ground helps you where you want to go. A roaring control leads you to become disliked. This is not a winning strategy if you dream to be a great teacher.
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3) Talking In a Monotone Voice All The Time
Imagine trying to sing with just one note, or bake cookies with just all flour. Without variances in the voice, students find this as a teacher speaking without life. This makes you sound hilarious and before you know it, students have created you with a character name that reminds them of a “cartoony” sound.
Monotone refers to a voice quality that may be high or low pitch, loud or quiet in volume, and fast or slow in tempo. This type of voice lacks the life and vibrance that is normally present in the human voice.
One thing that engages a class is the vocal quality of the teacher. In fact, a study from Quantified Impressions found that 23% of listeners’ impressions have to do with the quality of the speaker’s voice than what the speaker is saying. That means, how you say something puts more strength and weight on what you are saying.
If you have a monotone voice, practice going high and low. Say intense sentences that help you create a slightly higher pitch and subdued sentences with a lower pitch. In other words, teach with feelings so your voice would go naturally likable.
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4. Not Accepting Mistakes
Everybody makes mistakes and it’s normal in learning. In fact, mistakes offer chances to adapt to new situations and improve. But striving for always only the right answer inevitably surges difficult emotions, fear, hesitance, avoidance, and shame.
Mistakes play a big role in the classroom. They open a bigger room for ideas as well as more chances for growth. If you accept mistakes and use them as part of the learning process, it saves students from feeling pressured, forced, and frustrated.
Finding value in errors includes explaining why some answers are wrong. This process removes the stigma from mistakes and helps students see errors as part of growth experiences. The conversations, questions, and demonstrations all contribute to overcoming shame and fear.
Embracing mistakes helps the class focus on the solution. Here, the class shares their problems freely, asks and gets explanations better, and learns from each other. When students see where they can get wrong, they are also encouraged not to make mistakes.
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5) Being Inconsistent
Being inconsistent can often be chaotic. It confuses students, causes fear, disintegrates trust, and breaks confidence. You are not setting a good example for them to follow. The result is you drive your class nuts. Not taking a stand will get you difficulty in making decisions or providing strong leadership.
This is where an environment that welcomes constant responses to behavior comes in. Setting regular rules guarantee you a classroom that knows what to expect. With a teacher who changes his or her mind often, students may show less respect for you.
Consistency helps you implement clear rules that your class will not find confusing. It adds value to you as a teacher and increases organization in the classroom. But only make promises you can keep. You will maintain a systematic approach in class that everyone will love.
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6) Threatening Students with Punishments
While punishment in the classroom greatly helps control the environment, it is not a solve-all approach. Threatening, most particularly to young learners, only increases aggression in a child and may lead to mental and psychological issues.
Fearsome approaches will cause the child to feel intimidated and frightened. If children hate it when their parents punish them at home, all the more that they will find it cruel for their teacher to treat them the same in school. Punishment in a constructive way is a sure way to go.
There is no need to create a situation of terror to get the class to behave. Favorable punishment reminds students that they cannot get away with disruptive behavior. They are more willing to submit to consequences and appreciate abiding by the rules, without fear.
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7) A Lack of Classroom Management
Until you have good organizational skills, you will be dealing with a disastrous classroom. A tidy classroom contributes to a focused mind. Do you know how much amount of whiteboard markers consume in one year?
Without classroom management, it would be difficult to run a day in the classroom smoothly and you will not be able to teach effectively. This also can brand you as a disorganized teacher. As a result, you are ineffective.
Be a good classroom manager starting on day one by creating a simple system that has it all. With an organized approach, you have a good backup when expectations are compromised. You’ll thank yourself for setting up a sensible system that includes folders and files all properly labeled.
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8) Not Communicating with Parents
Like always, two-way communication between parents and schools provides success. The more parents and teachers work together for the benefit of students, the better academic performance both parties can achieve.
The lack of communication can lead to different problems that could have been solved earlier. No support families could also lead to students disliking school, and not being able to socialize, including confidence and self-esteem issues.
Communication is an approach that can help make a teacher’s job easier. Parents like it when teachers communicate with them. Incorporate fun and you’ll have a band of allies to make your entire school year flow more smoothly.
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9) Criticism in Front of Everybody
If no one is supposed to criticize and embarrass people, then a teacher should do everything not to criticize and humiliate his or her students. Doing so only fashions defensiveness that leads to anger, on the part of the student criticized.
Educators tend to become “critics” because they want the best for their students. However, criticisms may go harsh that learners may find it an expression of disapproval, opinion of wrongdoing, exposing weaknesses, and negative evaluations. This only means that such an approach does not contribute to growth.
Disapproval may arise, but it can be done positively instead of condemning the person. When you focus attention on a problem, it helps you avoid making harsh judgments. When offering students judgment about their work or behaviors, let it be one that encourages them to do better and impress you.
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10) Assigning Groups with no Individual Accountability
Group works are great as it allows collaboration and exchanging of ideas. There is an assigned leader, yes. But there is also the possibility of all the members depending on the leader.
Assigning group work without individual accountability is like allowing the team to rely on others, instead of putting effort into their individual assignments. After the project, every member may get the same credit and grade but can build conflicts and resentments as to who gave the most effort and who has performed a task.
Put value in each member’s ability by emphasizing that each individual can grapple with something great. Since it holds each accountable for the entire project, it encourages active learning and develops communication, critical thinking, as well as decision-making skills.
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Conclusion
Blunders in the classroom are but normal, but when they already go beyond the goal to teach with care, you know what happens when you don’t put change. Few students even bother to think about asking why their teacher is quite indifferent to them.
The above list may just be among the common mistakes a teacher can make so we are suggesting that you ponder upon each of them and avoid making a habit of any of them.
If you’re guilty of these mistakes, remediate them at once. Do not let your mistakes define you. Reshape your goals and view such blunders as opportunities for growth.
