But I Didn’t Die: The Power of Mistakes in the Classroom

Credit: iStock.com/soleg
Credit: iStock.com/soleg

My name is Teacher, and my mistakes are Legion.

None of these mistakes are catastrophic. I haven’t lost my temper and pulled my hair out by the roots. I haven’t made grading errors that led to a 75 percent flunk rate. I haven’t written such colossally terrible letters of recommendation that my students were denied entry to their dream grad school. Rather, mine are minor errors that speak to the mistake-prone nature of human beings: calling students by the wrong name; forgetting to unmute myself when simultaneously teaching in person and over Zoom; neglecting to post students’ pre-writing activities before class and then scolding said students for not completing the tasks.


To continue reading, you must be a Teaching Professor Subscriber. Please log in or sign up for full access.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related Articles

I have two loves: teaching and learning. Although I love them for different reasons, I’ve been passionate about...
Deadlines are a blessing and a curse. We need them to get things done, but they often loom...
In the Oxford English Dictionary, the most fitting definition of the word light-hearted (sic)for my purposes is this...
A variety of factors can undermine performance on a test beyond lack of knowledge, such as anxiety and...
During my first few years of teaching, I made the classic mistake of adopting a “covering content” mentality....
In higher education, student success is a widely used yet insufficiently defined concept. While some students equate success...
Higher education faculty work with a wide range of adults, from first-year undergraduates to advanced graduate students to...

Create a free account, or log in.

Gain access to limited free articles, news alerts, and select newsletters

Login here

Get unlimited access to The Teaching Professor

Stay informed. Subscribe Now.

WELCOME OFFER

$19.00 $14.00/month

for your first 6 months. Use coupon code TP6MO.

$19.00 thereafter. Cancel anytime.

Enjoy unlimited access to all of The Teaching Professor

You only have  free article views remaining.

WELCOME OFFER

$19.00 $14.00/month

for your first 6 months. Use coupon code TP6MO.

$19.00 a month thereafter. Cancel anytime.

Are you signed up for free weekly Teaching Professor updates?

You'll get notified of the newest articles.