Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Poor and Innocent I made one of the biggest mistakes in my professional life as a teacher about a week ago. I teach middle school English. We collected money for a breast cancer awareness event, and I put the cash and the checks in separate envelopes. After lunch time, I could not locate the envelope with the cash. I looked everywhere, but I could not find it. I asked my students if anyone took the envelope by mistake but nobody came forward. So, the cash was lost. Apparently, someone stole it, I thought. I have a good mix of students in my classroom; different religions, races, cultures, and rich and poor. Steve is the poorest student. Sometimes students make fun of Steve for wearing the same pair of shoes or the same pants all the time. The day after the money had been lost Steve came to school wearing a new jacket. Automatically, everyone, including me, started thinking he stole the cash. I took Steve to the principal's office to have a conference with him about the lost cash and his new jacket. We told him why we were having the meeting and asked him to be truthful. He said he had nothing to do with the lost cash. When we asked him about the new jacket, he said he had worked in his uncle's mechanic shop past weekend and made some money. Then, his father gave him some money to make up the difference for him to buy the jacket. We called his father and he confirmed everything Steve had told us. At that moment I thought I had never been so embarrassed in my life. But the more embarrassing moment came when Steve asked me if I had questioned Greg, a student from a middle class background, because he happened to come to school wearing a new jacket that day also. How can I fix the broken trust between me and Steve? How would you react to this situation—lost money and a poor student wearing a new jacket the next day? What would be the most appropriate way to respond to this situation? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) I perceive you are a less experienced teacher. The first thing you need to do is find a better principal, immediately! Your principal should never have allowed things to get where they are now. You have failed yet again in your regard for Steve. Steve would not have given you the tip on Greg if there were not hope for a renewed relationship with him. Steve is a very mature boy, maybe more mature than you! My advice to you is to genuinely apologize. Steven Covey, relationship expert, suggests that when we apologize that we state what we are sorry for, why we are sorry, and how or why we will never make the mistake again. I have made my fair share of mistakes with students. Kids are very resilient. Never once has a child not forgiven me when I own my mistake and ask for forgiveness. Finally, you need to allow yourself to move forward from this mistake after learning from it. I believe mistakes are made for a reason, to grow. Embrace this opportunity of growth and remember to share this knowledge along your life journey!