help, please, i screwed up!!!!!!!!

[coffeecat]

This is my first year teaching chemistry....about 2-3 weeks ago I taught how to name compounds....when I taught 2 nonmetals I messed up....example:

N2O5 should be dinitrogen pentaoxide, but I taught it to just use the prefix for the second element..nitrogen pentaoxide


Since then, we've already had a quiz and a naming worksheet that I graded....we've moved onto something else...should I bring it up now and have a WHOLE bunch of kids pissed off at me or wait till the end of the year and when it comes up again, just make sure I review it correctly....I don't know what to do.....I already have a bunch of rude/disrespectful kids and don't want to look really stupid in front of them...help!

[BLBO]

Don't wait to correct the mistake. To wait would only make it worse. Your students will respect you more if they realize that you don't think you are perfect and are able to own up to your mistakes.

Perhaps you could reteach the info. briefly, then have a quiz to check for understanding. Make the quiz for extra credit only and they shouldn't balk at the extra work. Who wouldn't want an easy way to improve their grades?

Make sure you are perfectly honest and don't make excuses. Just tell them that you discovered that you made a mistake in teaching the info. before and apologize for the inconvenience.

[Unregistered]

I like BLBO's advice. I would suggest trying it.

And don't worry too much about what the kids think of you. In the end this mistake isn't going to leave much of a lasting impression on them.

[ktaarnold]

The fondest memories I have of my favorite teachers are those that are not perfect and freely admitted their mistakes. My least favorite teachers seemed less than human almost too perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. Teaching is a learning process for both students and teachers. Don't be too hard on yourself. At least you caught your mistake in time to fix it!