Why a Teacher Never Say Sorry?

Peace is necessarily more than absence of violence or war. It is peaceful co-existence regardless of gender, skin color, religion, status quo etc. At a classroom level, learners are from different walks of life. This necessitates teachers to be peace ambassadors among their learners. Training learners on how to co-exist their friends and classmates is very important. Furthermore, who doesn’t love peace? However, this does not mean being lenient with your students to a point of apologizing to them. Reasons why a teacher should never say sorry to his/her students are:

Intimidation

Students may intimidate you if you directly say sorry to them. They will see that you are at the same level with them. They will take advantage of that and there maybe ‘unhealthy’ interactions between you and your students e.g. you may find yourself talking with your students or going out with them. You should only say sorry in a hidden and wise manner i.e. “I was disciplining you, next time do what is expected of you”.

Makes students nervous

Students may find it funny when you apologize to them. This is because they see you as ‘big person’ and above saying sorry. Though this may be viewed as being inhuman and disrespect to your students, the fact remains that you are above your students and what you do is always right. Even if you feel that the student didn’t deserve a punishment, ensure that you do not show it in any way. Let your students understand that the teacher doesn’t err.

Repetition of offence

When you say sorry to one of your learners, they may repeat the same mistake so that you say sorry to them again and again after punishment. They may do this to show pride to fellow students that teacher said sorry to them. This may incite other students to do same mistake so that the teacher will say sorry to them after he/she punishes them. All what they want to hear is the teacher saying sorry however the punishment.

Lack of respect

If you say sorry to your students for any punishment you met or after you discipline them, there must develop disrespect. Students will view you as ‘one of their own’ and therefore must respect one another. There are times when students feel that they didn’t deserve the punishment you gave them hence they may appear to ‘force’ you to say sorry. This may create a very bad perception of teachers towards their teachers e.g. female teachers may be harassed by the students in college.

Though sometimes you may feel urge to say sorry for meting ‘undeserving’ punishment to a student, never do it. Learners will always see it as a weakness.