Last night in my oldest class (high school age) I was completely blown away by the talent of a few of my students. I don't know what it was but as they danced a new part of their lyrical, my jaw literaly dropped without me noticing it. After I stopped the music I let them know how excited that made me and I was going on and on about how good they had just done (it still gives me chill bumps to think of it)
Here's where I screwed up....

As I walked back to the stereo I said (and I thought I said this quiet enough) 'that was effin awesome'. I literally said effin. I guess I was at such a loss for words that it came out. Well they heard me and started laughing. It wasn't an embarrassed laugh, but a friendly laugh.

I can't believe I said this and I couldn't sleep last night because of it. I've never let such bad language slip in front of students. ever. I am a 100% believer in being a role model over a friend to students and last night I crossed a very distinct line. I'm horrified and ashamed. I know I could have said something worse but this is bad enough.

Teachers: have you ever had a slip of the tongue?

Maybe the next time you see them, just tell them that. Tell them how great they did and that you didn't mean to say that. That is not how you usually talk and that you're sorry. Maybe that'll make you feel better?? I hope so... And just be glad it was your older kids, it's not like they don't hear that stuff at school! I have a 7th grader who I know says those things. Just apologize and maybe that'll ease your mind. Tell them it's really been bothering you and you want them to know that you never meant to let something like that slip.

If it makes you feel any better-I can pretty much at least 95% of the students in that classroom have said that word. I completely understand not wanting your students to hear you say it, but things happen. To be honest, that could be something that totally slips their mind by the next time you see them. If it does make you feel better, tell them the next time you see them that you feel bad for using poor language and apologize to them. From a high school students standpoint, they probably thought it was funny and could care less. Don't feel bad about it, things happen. I have never said it myself but I did make the mistake of using a song in class that I forgot had a swear word in it and they all heard it, and turned around to look at me. I just giggled and said sorry, my mistake, and they carried on. They were old enough to know that they shouldn't say those words, so it didn't bother me afterward.

Ummmm....I think it makes you human.

I'll bet they appreciated seeing it.

I have a mouth like a sailor, but NOT in class. However, you are only human and the world will not spin of of it's axis because you said effin.

Cut yourself a little slack on this one.

they will completely have forgotten about it by next class guaranteed. These things make you normal and human. I was drilling my 9-10 yr old jazz class before competition a few weeks ago and I was saying hit hit hit on accents and one time I said hit hit hit shit oh..hit... total slip of the tounge parents and everyone laughed and it was forgotten its not like your cussing them out or anything..

I ditto coastdancecenter! lol I have a sailors mouth, too. Being high schoolers, they know you're human and the occasional slip won't kill. I can recall a few times I've slipped and said, "Holy crap!" or OMG. It happens. If it'll ease your mind, apologize to them, but my money is on them not remembering it even happened by then! Don't beat yourself up for it.

Isn't it funny how people who have sailor's mouth (me included) have that automatic censor when in certain places?

On another note, these are high school kids, I am sure that they have at least heard the word, if not said it....so really I think you have nothing to worry about!!

They probably didn't give it even a second thought. Trust me, they say, and their friends say, much worse then effin! I don't even cuss much, and I've had some borderline things slip when I was really excited or really stressed.

I've slipped before too and agree with above..NO big deal, let it go. If you have a talk they will just think you are lame. It's not like they've never heard it before. In teenager brain you probably just became a little more human to them.

You said effin', you didn't say f***ing. In my book that's saying darn when you mean damn. Gosh darn it! Trust me, once you've heard a 4 year old in the hallway at the studio throwing a temper tantrum and telling her mother that something is "freaking unfair" you realize that kids today hear a lot at a young age and your effin really isn't that bad - especially with high schoolers. I mean sure, you slipped, but it wasn't even a bad slip - don't beat yourself up over it.

As an add-on thought....

It IS important to be a role model, but I also want my students to understand that I am a human, capable of mistakes as well.

S#!t happens, as they say...and I wouldn't want anyone to perceive me as perfect or infallible. It's not realistic.

I remember going to a Competition with Company and talking to one of the parents. We were discussing foul language and I straight up said "I talk like a sailor at home and around my friends" and she said "YOU???!!! I would have never imagined!" I replied "You have no idea!"

I'm not here to set an unattainable bar for my students. I am who I am, warts and all.

thanks, guys. I feel a little better knowning it's not as big of a deal as I thought it was. I don't think I'm going to even bring it up next week!!

Fogettabout it.

I too have the mouth of a sailor. Poor sailors who are God-fearing and do not swear!

I actually had a nightmare where I said the Fin-heimer to my baby class. The worst I have done in real life is get REALLY excited with a group of high schoolers while I was talking to them, and I spit. I said "oh my, I am so sorry did I just spit on you?" And one girl was like "Yeah." Me: "OH SH&T!!!! I mean oh D$MN...I mean, oh crap I am so sorry I spit and I did not swear, okay?"

Not my most stellar moment. On a side bar, I hate it when I spit when I talk. It seems to go in spurs where all of a sudden I am part camel and just spitting away again in Margaritaville.

^
lol! I do that, though so far not in class. There was a day when I was out and about and trying to just watch my language overall. I dropped something and said damn it! I mean, sh!t! Crap! I mean, darn it! lol. I have a serious potty mouth. Sometimes it's funnier and much worse when I try to control it than when I don't!

I think if you are serious about being a good role model for your students, then avoid speaking that way altogether. If we are teachers we are teachers everywhere. We will run into our students in the most unexpected places, the way you are everywhere should be the way you want your students to view you.

If you beleive that using this language is being a bad role model then you think there isb something wrong with using it, so dont use it anywhere.

I don't swear and dont believe in swearing. It wont slip out because it isnt even part of my vocabulary. They fact that it did slip out might mean it is a part of yours.

I don't mean to sound overly critical, just putting my own beliefs forward which others may disagree with.

^ I do disagree. I am not the same person outside of the classroom as I am in the classroom. Just like when I go to work in the morning, I put on my "professional face" and I do what I have to. My appearance, vocabulary, actions...everything changes because of the environment that I am in. I don't think because as an adult I choose to use foul language around my peers that makes me a bad role model. As long as when I am around my students I carry a positive image I'm okay with that.

DancingDiva736 wrote:

^ I do disagree. I am not the same person outside of the classroom as I am in the classroom. Just like when I go to work in the morning, I put on my "professional face" and I do what I have to. My appearance, vocabulary, actions...everything changes because of the environment that I am in. I don't think because as an adult I choose to use foul language around my peers that makes me a bad role model. As long as when I am around my students I carry a positive image I'm okay with that.

Agreed.

As my mother explains it "we wear different hats in different places" . I carry myself differently in different environments as well.

And here goes....

I think of role models as people who live their life from a giving heart. My role models are honest, forthcoming, brave and loving. They live their lives in alignment with their most authentic selves and are not swayed by what others think they should be or think that they should do. They seek to do no harm and live for the greater good.

THAT defines my role model. And at the end of the day, if someone like Oprah says "F*&#" , I really don't think it changes the person she is. JMO

coastdancecenter wrote:

Ummmm....I think it makes you human.

I'll bet they appreciated seeing it.

I have a mouth like a sailor, but NOT in class. However, you are only human and the world will not spin of of it's axis because you said effin.

Cut yourself a little slack on this one.

Rightly stated, your human. And you might find that the girls will respect you more. What I am trying to say, is that we all make mistakes, we as teachers like to push off that we don't, but when our students see its ok for us to make mistakes like they do, its affirmed we are just like they are. I think you are over thinking this, let it go! Mistakes happen.

I'm sure, they won't give it a 2nd thought. If this was a regular occurrence, then it would be a different story. But having a random slip is nothing to worry about. Especially with your older kids. They know you are human

Join the club! I have just turned around and said, "Oh my!! I am sooo sorry!!"

The kids just laughed and said, "Oh, you should hear my parents!"

So, just apologize because you are human!!

HUGS

Don't worry about it.

Here's a little story from a few years ago. I was teaching a ballet class (around the same age) and there was a section where the girls all came up to the front and did their own character actions bit (demi character ballet) well, I started to yell "Do your bit" halfway from my brain to my mouth I changed bit to "shtick" and it came out "Do your b*tch". The girls burst out laughing. I apologized and explained what happened. We all laughed and carried on. Nothing was ever brought up again.

So don't let it bother you. Trust me, they hear way worse.