[jellybeanenglisch]

Biggest mistakes: not to follow through (either with rewards or discipline) and not being prepared. Always always have a lesson plan and prepare for eventualities (such as time left). I also made the mistake of addressing the children with their English names which they find cool BUT when push comes to shove you want to address them with their real names to make sure they listen...

[pink_lady]

hey everyone!
well, i'v been teaching since october 2008, so only a month so far and till now my biggest mistakes have been using Arabic in class... i'm teaching 1st n 2nd years at university, -in Tunisia, my home country -, they'r english majors, and they'r kind of not happy with this thing... but i'm using Arabic only when i feel they didn't get the explanation i gave them in english...
another mistake's rather done out of forgetfulness, i sometimes forget 2 ask the questions i'm supposed 2 ask my students within a lesson, though i prepare my course notes beforehand... but anyway, i'm always trying 2 learn from my mistakes and not 2 do the same thing twice, though 2 err's human

[Denis DNT]

I paid too much attention to my dressing. I thought I had to change every day. The students soon started to throw funny names at me.

[klwolf]

Quote Denis DNT

I paid too much attention to my dressing. I thought I had to change every day. The students soon started to throw funny names at me.

Hmm, I've noticed that people don't change everyday... still haven't started doing it myself, though. I just recently started teaching in Dalian. Just curious, what kinds of funny names should I look out for?

[iman123]

Pink Lady,

If I to pick one piece of advice for a new teacher, plan your lesson from what you are exactly going to write on the board, handout, and even say, and plan at least 2-3 exercises...always...every class. I've had some lessons that I spent hours on, and my students ran through them in mere minute. Then you're left with nothing. If you over plan, you will always use it in the future. It will not be a waste! AND HAVE FUN!! I don't understand all this 'you have be to so strict and stern'. My students are learning quickly and we are having a blast. By far, we are the loudest class in the building!

[Balio]

Quote iman123

Pink Lady,

I don't understand all this 'you have be to so strict and stern'. My students are learning quickly and we are having a blast. By far, we are the loudest class in the building!

I think being a "hard a$$" is a bit strong wording, but the idea of maintaining control, I've found is really important.

I just started teaching a month ago (no experience, no training) and the biggest mistake I made was with my one class of 5 year olds during my first week. We were doing nursery rhymes, and I was saving some colouring sheets for the last 10 minutes of class. With around 20 minutes left, they wanted to colour and started chanting "colour, colour". I basically gave up and let them colour. I realized my mistake after I'd handed out the sheets. They were good for the rest of the class, but since then, every single day, they have continually yelled for colours. Now, about 3 weeks later (I have made a point not to let them colour since then) it is barely starting to subside.

To clarify, it is important to be the one in control, not to be mean. I still did fun stuff with my students since then, and I am still very popular with the students in all my classes, but because of that one incident, it is still one of the most difficult classes for me to control.