THE LIFE OF THE RIDDLE

THE LIFE OF THE RIDDLE

Friday, June 20, 2008

My Top 5 mistakes as a teacher

I've been a teacher for the last two years. I love it. I love the high energy and fast pace that teaching demands. I am confident in my teaching skills and I've gotten allot better. But have I made mistakes? YES! I've recorded them here for your enjoyment.

5. I forgot the words to the National Anthem. (Sept 2006)
This happened my very first day as a teacher! We were asked to introduce our selves to the students and share some kind of talent. I decided to sing the national anthem. Unfortunately just as I got to the rockets red glare the words slipped my mind. The students still clapped loudly but I felt really foolish.

4. I let class out 40 minutes early. (Sept 2006)
During my first week of teaching I was still a little foggy on when classes got out. I had finished my entire German lesson plans a little too early and was grasping for things to do. My students sensed this and convinced me that class got out in five minutes. Yep they got me.

3. I performed a wedding in German class. (April 2007)
Oh the inexperience of first year teaching! I'm so much wiser now. My two German students had never even talked in my class but one day they really hit it off. They told me they wanted to do a wedding ceremony. I saw it as a great way to teach them all the German words about getting married. I brought German cake. The groom wore a tie. The bride wrapped herself in the German flag and I made them swear to always speak German together. They even swore on the German Dictionary. It all seemed so innocent at the time until they sat and tried to make out in my class every day. I felt like Dr. Frankenstein looking at the monster. What a nightmare.

2. I wore two different pairs of shoes to class. (March 2008)
I still remember getting dressed that morning. I hadn't wanted to turn on any light because Spencer was still sleeping. I felt around for my shoes, threw them on and waked out the door. I noticed when I got to school that I had on one black heel and one brown heel. The whole day students (and colleagues) walked past my room just to see it.

1. I accidentally showed my entire class porn. (May 2007)
I had to save this one for last. This incident happened in German class. I was teaching vocabulary to my German I class of mainly 14 year old boys. One of my students (a female) made me a PowerPoint to go along with the new vocabulary words. I failed to notice beforehand that in the slide for segeln = to sail the girl is wearing only a swimsuit bottom! My dear husband actually was the first to notice and point it out to me.
I was HORRIFIED! I was SCANDALIZED! Then I realized I'd printed off all of the slides for the 14 year old boys to study over the weekend. Luckily no one ever noticed. I asked the girl who had assembled the PowerPoint and she was totally clueless. To be fair it really is hard to tell the picture is fuzzy. Anyhow I reported it to the principle and now I guess it is a funny story but at the time I was dying.

7 comments:

Evenstar said...

Hmm. Mistakes two and five are my favorites. So funny!

Seventh Child said...

Wow, Joanie you can do a lot of silly things!

Anonymous said...

honestly.... what kind of pathetic school do you teach at??? Showing porn... teacher talent shows... no bells??? Wow. What's next? Your principal doesn't even have a degree???

Allison said...

ha! Those are classic Joanie! The mismatched shoes one is hilarious!

Marshall said...

That's great, Joan. Now, if we can just get your students to submit their favorites...

Aly Goalen said...

hahahaah. Joanie I love your blog. That is hilarious. I love it. I especially liked the shoes. That's so funny!

Oma said...

The shoes are the best. But I like the Marriage ceremony also.