25 Biggest Mistakes Teachers Make and How to Avoid Them

Mistake 1: Inappropriate Discipline Strategies
The student in this scenario
was obviously distracted or
not paying attention. The “crime”
was not following directions. Bend -
ing down and yelling in front of the
student ’ s face was an authoritarian
tactic that meant “do as I say.” This
teacher seems to have had a need to
be in control and took the child’s
inattentiveness personally.
Knowledgeable teachers would
know that it is not unusual for students,
and adults, to become distracted
in a group setting where they
are forced to pay attention. Armed
with that knowledge, the teacher can
be patient and understanding and
repeat the instructions in a civil tone.
Some students need to hear the
SCENARIO 1.18
Cheating Exposé
directions for an assignment more
than once. If the students still do not
understand after one or two repetitions,
the teacher could demonstrate
or have class members explain the
assignment in their own words until
everyone understands. Before giving
instructions, it is always advisable
for a teacher to wait until she has
everyone’s attention.
She should model the instructions
as much as possible using the
actual materials. If not paying attention
had been a habit with this student,
the teacher could have let the
student know, before the instructions
were given, that the student would
be expected to help by repeating the
instructions to the class.
I was in middle school and I was caught cheating. The teacher took up my paper and
asked, in front of the class, if I thought that it [cheating] was worth it.
The teacher exposed a cheater
in class. On the surface, this
seems reasonable. The teacher’s
intent seemed to be to embarrass
the child enough that this cheating
behavior would cease.
Insightful, experienced teachers
know that students cheat when they
do not know the material or they are
afraid that they do not know enough
of the material. Sometimes, students
feel pressure from parents and highachieving
siblings or peers to do well
in school. Thus, the motive for cheating
becomes an important issue. If
teachers are aware of the cheating
motive, they can help students with
the problem, effectively eliminating
the need to cheat. A public exposé
could cut off any means of communication.
A soft reprimand in private
would be more effective (O’Leary,
Kaufman, Kass, & Drabman, 1970). In
private, the teacher is more likely to
get an explanation. Issuing a referral
for cheating should be a last resort.
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