What would you do?

OK, so this class I've been teaching all summer:

I've never taught college level before. I've been making mistakes all semester, i.e. grades (which i finally got the formulas right).
Plus I've known most of the materials all my life, and some of it is new to me, but sometimes I feel like I've failed because I'm not communicating it properly.

Plus this class was thrown at me with 2 days to prepare for 15 weeks. I finally am almost a week ahead in my notes for the class.

I just feel frustrated that the students aren't getting their moneys worth. Most of them are passing and they did pretty well on the mid term.

However my question is this. If you were in my situation and discovered that you had a brain malfunction while reading a sentence and skipped over a couple of words...thus repeating it to your students incorrectly, what would do?

I just feel bad that I keep having backtrack myself and want the students to feel like they have a decent teacher.
I know honesty is the best policy, but I just feel bad that I'm messing up my students education.

Just level with them about the situation "do to unforeseen circumstances" etc - and let them know that you are all in it together as a team.

Back track as much as you have to.

hmm, question. Are you sure you are having a problem getting the subject matter accross to the students? or is it your impression cause you got dumped with the class on short notice?

but yes if you make a mistake then be up front with them about it.

Originally Posted by theimp98

hmm, question. Are you sure you are having a problem getting the subject matter accross to the students? or is it your impression cause you got dumped with the class on short notice?

but yes if you make a mistake then be up front with them about it.

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It mostly the first couple of weeks I was flustered with the short notice. I wanted the job to help pay for when I go back to school this fall.

Unfortunately I do this from time to time, especially if I'm flustered. I'll read a sentance, but then somehow miss a couple of words and teach based on that. Most of the students in the class are taking it just to fill a credit requirement.

I think you are being much harder on yourself than you need to be. If the students are all doing well, then try and put those few mistakes behind you. You have never taught college before and this class was thrown at you last minute. You are expecting way too much out of yourself if you don't think you should be making any mistakes If this is just a credit requirement and not a required class that takes them concentrating on each word you say, such as Anatomy for a medical student, I think it's safe to assume that the students didn't even notice your small mistakes. Just move forward from here.

I think its best to be honest with them too..after all you are only human, you can be flustered and make mistakes too

Originally Posted by squirtle

I think you are being much harder on yourself than you need to be. If the students are all doing well, then try and put those few mistakes behind you. You have never taught college before and this class was thrown at you last minute. You are expecting way too much out of yourself if you don't think you should be making any mistakes

If this is just a credit requirement and not a required class that takes them concentrating on each word you say, such as Anatomy for a medical student, I think it's safe to assume that the students didn't even notice your small mistakes. Just move forward from here.

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since this is your first time teaching, you're being waaaaaay to hard on yourself, there are some teachers that have been doing it for years and still aren't that good at it If you make a mistake, just correct it and move on, Im pretty sure the students aren't expecting perfection from you, plus its a summer course so I bet they're only paying half attention anyway and if they're missing half of the half you're saying and still passing the class, I'd say you're doing a GREAT job!!!!!

I wanted to add, being a college student, the only time I ever feel like I am not getting anything out of the class is when the teacher doesn't put forth any effort to teaching. For example, last semester I had a professor who was always late for class. It was an early morning class, 6:30am, and she never arrived before 6:45 or 7:00. She always had her cell phone on and would constantly show us videos to replace her lectures. A few slip ups in words is nothing to worry about

Originally Posted by squirtle

I wanted to add, being a college student, the only time I ever feel like I am not getting anything out of the class is when the teacher doesn't put forth any effort to teaching.

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Also, teachers who couldn't even be bothered with explaining anything when answering a question. I had one teacher who continued to give the same answer in the same manner even when it was obvious most of us didn't understand he material in the way he was presenting it. If you make a mistake in presenting the material - just correct it when you find out and move on. As long as you don't have my boss in your class, I doubt there will be anybody yelling at you.

Thanks guys...Yes I know I'm my own worse enemy (its a huge personality flaw). I think my high expectations of myself comes from always being expected to be the best. I think I may have a complex from it.

Plus I really want to be asked to teach again (well I have been, but its only 1 class and I can't leave my full time job for just one class) either this fall or next winter. So I guess I have this fear that if my students complain what a doofus I am I might not be asked back. :\\

Some of my students were talking to me about their other teachers and sounds like I'm a little bit nicer then some of them (heck one teacher I spoke with said that she always marks people down for leaving the class uhh..that's their perogative IMO). So I felt a little better about it. I'll tell them next class (Tuesday).

Oh and squirtle - I had a teacher like that in college too...always 15 minutes late for an 8 AM class. All of us would be on time for the class. So one morning we imposed the 5 minute rule. We got up, left all went out for breakfast. After that the teacher was never late again.

Thanks for the reassurance everyone!