It's OK

I agree completely! Teachers are human and no human is inherently perfect. Those who do not acknowledge their mistakes are only teaching negative lessons to their students and colleagues. I try to acknowledge each and every time that I am wrong about something but it is not always easy. Just because the teacher is the person with the highest authority, does not mean that they should act like a dictator with no humility. Students do not respond well to this and it will be a harder lesson for them to learn later in life.

Teaching was my first profession after graduating from college. I used to teach errr.. naughty and rather mischievous Engineering guys. I admit I used to handle extreme students, and when I say extremes, I mean extremes. Some are really very intelligent, some are very uhmmmm... unintelligent... It was quite difficult to find someone average. It was difficult to adjust as well to extreme brains. However I never pretend to my students that I know everything. These are college students, they always know when you're bluffing. I know because I used to have naughty classmates who shamed my ex-college teachers because they pretend they know the topic when they don't. Geez, I wouldn't want that. So first and foremost, so my students will cooperate with everything I wanted them to do (so as to make learning easier with extreme brains), I endeavored to get their trust and respect. I had it when I told them teachers aren't made of computer chips, we cannot absorb every book's content and thus, it's expected that we don't know everything. There were even times that I get the whole class engaged with a topic opened and presented by my student, even if I know nothing about it, as long as it's connected to the lesson, it maybe new discoveries or news I haven't heard of. I make sure the student gets the credit for being so observant, wide-reader and generous in sharing his knowledge... Oh well, those were the days....

Teachers are meant to educate certainly but nobody is perfect in every day and at the same time no one person can know everything. Children are not stupid and will very quickly pick up if they think someone is lying to them, which is what the teacher is doing if they say they know something when in fact they are ignorant on the subject. How on earth can those teachers who pretend to know everything hope to gain (and keep) the respect and trust of their students? Many many years ago when I was at school we had a few teachers like that and I objected strongly so much so that I was regularly sent out of the classroom for being disruptive. I was always "banned" to the library which actually suited me because I learnt more from reading my books and asking the librarian if I didn;'t understand than I learnt in the class. The first couple of times I duxed those classes I was accused of cheating so my parents insisted that the school sit me in a room with only a supervisor so I could do the exams. Same results every time, so in some ways those teachers did me a big favour but they certainly did not have my respect - either when I was a child or now as an adult. Keep going the way you are and your student will respect and trust you.

yeah... I know what you mean and a lot of teachers are like that but personally, as a trainer, I've never found it hard to say that I made a mistake or that I didn't know something. Whenever that happens, I'd either correct myself and tell my trainees that I was wrong or if they asked a question that I didn't have an answer to, I'd always tell them that I'd get back at them. Then I'd ask someone who knew the answer and I'd tell the people once I do have the answer. I don't think admitting that you're wrong would undermine your authority. Most probably it would have the opposite effect because people would see that you're open enough to admit mistakes and such.

I really think people just like to talk. I think what you do is correct, if you commit a mistake tell them that you did it and also you are right about not knowing everything and going to research with the kids, I think that is how supposed to be. The worst people in the world are the ones that think that they know all about something so from that point they cannot learn anything. I think also that teachers should demand from their students what they can do themselves! It is lots of arrogant people in the world Cobra but what you do I consider absolutely right!

hi cobra .. just recently, one of friends daughter was placed in a "sack" and the teacher swinged her from side to side ... the kid was so scared and cried .. so the kid has not gone to school for almost 2 weeks and then when she went to school again, the girl walked out of the techers class strainght to the headmasters room and called her father who rushed over to take her home.. she claimed she had headache.. by the was the girl is 7 years old ... In regards to your discussion, admiting to mistakes such as this is a must .. while mistakes like not remembering the facts and have to do some homework to get the reply is acceptable cheers

i believe that teachers are humans too and they are not perfect... they can make mistakes just like other human beings... to acknowledge our mistakes is a very honorable thing to do and i think teachers should set that example to their students so that they can follow the footsteps as well... i used to teach as an assistant lecturer back in the uni in my hometown and i always admit my mistakes or if i didn't know anything to my students... that doesn't make me look less respectable in the class... take care and have a nice day...

No gold is pure thus no man is perfect. It is reasonable to make a mistake! Don't worry. Students sometimes would be illogical! Take it easy!

Teachers are very human, and in my view very daring. I will admit that I could not stand up in front of all those students everyday and take the crap they give their teachers, and then when it gets bad enough to have the parents called in,you are subjected to "what are you doing to my child" "we don't have any problems with him at home,so it must be you". I couldn't do it. Granted there are the good ones,who really want to be there to learn and treat their teachers with respect,that's probably why teachers do stay. But I can see why we don't have enough teachers in the world. First of all,yes you are expected to be perfect, if something goes wrong it's your fault, you have to buy supplies for your classroom because the school doesn't supply them, you have to deal with nasty parents, you definitly don't get paid enough,and nowdays it's downright dangerous to be a teacher,you could get stabbed,shot,killed just to go teach children. This world is getting worse and worse and if the kids don't straighten up, their won't be any teachers left willing to teach them! God Bless you for doing one of the hardest,most challenging,dangerous,but yet also rewarding occupations ever. I will pray for you cobrateacher!

No, Nobody is perfect. You teachers have one of the hardest jobs in the world,teaching our children. The standards for teaching get higher and higher each year and the pay isn't all that great. My oldest went out with a schoolteacher a few years ago and she was still having to live with her mother and father because she only made 35000.00 a year and couldn't afford to move out and pay rent,a car insurance, utilities, groceries,ect. I think that is absolutly wrong to pay someone who has such a hard job not to make enough money to live on there own. GOD BLESS THE TEACHERS OF THIS WORLD. A job that I would never want to have. You are very brave!!

Hi Cobra,I feel that as teachers you should be respected by your pupils,but I suppose you have to earn that respect.There is no woy lol that you could even pretend to know everything,if you did lol the curriculum would be very full!As you point out we are all humans and there are none of us who `know` everything,thats ridiculous.I dont see that your authority can be undermined by admitting that you dont know something,but I get where you are coming from..it shows that you like every other human being are fallible.I am pretty sure that as long as the childre respect you and will remain well behaved for you,then you have got the balance right

I think everyone should feel comfortable making a mistake once in a while - and as long as we're willing to admit we're wrong - or admit we don't know in the first place and want to find out - that's a good, healthy thing!

oh ,really? then i wonder how could they be teachers? since teachers correct students all the time, if they don't face theirs , how could they make other people do? hard to believe though admitting one's own mistake is painstaking sometimes.

Teachers nowadays has too much pride that they don't want to accept the fact that they are not perfect. Because nobody's perfect, to err is human right. Admitting to your mistakes doesn't mean you are a fool but telling everyone that you don't is just foolish. Besides by being wrong you could learn, and thats how you gain wisdom which is far greater than intelligence. Thats my opinion though.

Hi cobra, it is not good to pretend and being a teacher, you're the model and for me it is okay not accept and admit to the class if ever there are things that you don't know! But, when we are talking about the subject-matter, i guess what people wants is that, teacher should master it and prepare a lot for the possible questions like that, but talking about general issues, it's hard to pretend!

Hi cobrateacher I think its wonderfulthat you show that' teachers are as human as anyone and just as apt to make a mistake too, it lets the children know that teachers are'human and nobody knows everything.It is a very positive thing indeed. and it wont undermine your authority, but will endear 'you to your students and helps them to learn how to look up information they need.

Cobra, Is everything still in the same place after Kay? We are just getting the first bands of it right now. I think it is the right thing to do, with everyone, especially kids. They see right through a bluff. Have your fellow teachers forgotten the word trust? How can we teach our kids things like honesty, trust, forgiveness,not to mention respect. I raised my son to tell the truth. I told him that if he lied to me, that I would eventually find out the truth and the consequences would be far worse. I believe that owning up to a mistake earns you far more respect than hiding the truth and pretending to be perfect. Also letting our kids know that we aren't all knowing helps them understand what being human is all about. God created us in His likeness not in his perfection! Admitting to our mistakes makes us better people. leenie

Well I agree with you actually it;s better to admit your mistakes so that your students won't be misled. I agree that no one could learn everything and also it is part of the learning process to make students research on their own. I think that those who don't admit mistakes aren't good teachers because they are not open to good learnings as well.

Error is human and mistake is common in life but correcting ourselves when we come to know is very important and if a student correcting us the right time to give them a big handsoff and motivate them to bring up the correct things always

Never admitting a mistake will ruin a child's character. It's in mistakes why we learn. For me, it's fine. As long as correction will follow. coz admitting a mistake is different from correcting it.