Have you ever made a mistake while teaching?
In a subject that you were feeling on shaky ground to begin with?
Or in a subject where you were trying out some new instructional routines?
Well, yeah. That was me today.
Twice!
While parents and guardians were more likely than not listening in while out of sight.
Aargh!
Then, I read a post by someone on FaceBook asking for advice on how to recover from a botched up lesson online while other adults were watching from home.
And, it made me realize how worried we are about making mistakes.
Even more worried now that many of us are teaching online with not an audience of one, but of two, three or more.
(The other day I found out one of my parents laughs at all my jokes. I didn’t even know he was listening! LOL!)
I thought about all of this during my lunch hour.
By the time I finished eating and went to sit in front of my computer screen again, I had made a decision.
I took a deep breath and started the Google Meet.
I started the lesson and pretty soon I was joking about how we all make mistakes, even me!
And, not just one but many mistakes. Sometimes several in one day!
And, how that was OK.
Really.
As I was poking fun at myself, I saw the kids smiling. Some were even giggling. Me, too.
By the end of that class, I was relaxed. All of the tension of the previous two hours had washed away.
It was just another day at school.
Cross posted to The Two Writing Teachers March of Life Slice Story Challenge.
Elisa Waingort 
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