25 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make and How to Avoid Them

Mistake 16: Teacher Insensitivity
Good teachers would only use
an award ceremony for that which
it was intended ...to recognize
achievement.
They would never use the ceremony
as a forum for humiliation
and shame. Woolfolk (1998) decries
anything that draws attention to a
SCENARIO 16.3
Name Sweet Name
133
student’s physical differences, which
includes physical performance. In -
stead of looking at a student’s effort
as half bad, it is more helpful and
productive to view it as half good. An
award that recognizes effort is much
better than a nonproductive attempt
at humor.
In third grade I was adopted and my last name changed during the middle of the year
from M. C. to M. B. My teacher refused to change my name. I was so excited to be
adopted by my stepfather and it deeply upset me that she would not acknowledge it.
She insisted on calling me by the wrong last name.
The adoptive process is centered
on the welfare of the child—the
physical and psychological welfare.
Adoption obviously boosted this student’s
self-esteem and sense of belonging.
Having a new last name was
symbolic of the love and acceptance she
had been granted. The teacher threw
cold water on her happiness by refusing
to acknowledge her new name. It ’ s
difficult to determine if the teacher’s
inaction was rooted in malice or ignorance.
There is no excuse for either.
Insightful teachers would sense
the feelings of happiness and pride
SCENARIO 16.4
Exit Front and Center Stage
that being adopted gave this student.
They would make a conscious
effort to remember the new name.
Many teachers would take the
opportunity to help the child celebrate
the new name by reintroducing her
to the class, using her adopted
name. Another way to acknowledge
the student would be to put the
child’s picture on the wall with
the new name underneath and the
word “congratulations” over the
picture. These acknowledgments
should only be done with the child’s
permission.
In first grade I had an accident in class during naptime and the teacher made it obvious.
I sat in the back of class. There was a back door out of the room, but she made me first
sop up my mess with paper towels, then leave the room out the front with the wastebasket
to go to the principal’s office.