Admit it, you don't know everything. Although this is a true statement, do your students know it? Have you told you students point blank that you don't know the answer to something they have asked, or do you fish around and try to make something out of nothing? Sometimes you may feel that if you admit that you don't know something, those you teach will lose some respect for you or discount the things you have taught them. This, my friends, is a thought distortion and is completely wrong! My experience has taught me that the opposite is true. When I freely admit that I don't know the answer to a question, my students' trust in me grows. Why? I believe when I freely admit that I don't have all the answers, they can now more fully trust what they learn when I do tell them I know something. This is a critical part of building trust between you and your students. No one knows all the answers. You know it and your students know it, so admitting that allows your students to trust and respect you.
After I admit that I don't know something I do one or more of the following:
I testify of something I do know. For instance, God loves all of His children, or Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us, or the Holy Ghost will eventually teach us all truth, or Jesus Christ is cheering you on and wants you to succeed.
I show them what I would do to try to find the answer to the question they asked.
I remind them that God will answer all our questions and concerns eventually. I then share experiences I have had with this in my own life (nothing too personal or sacred). I even make sure they know that I am still waiting on answers to some of my questions, and because I know that God loves me and wants to answer me, I move forward trusting that when the time is right I will receive the answers I seek
When you admit that you don't know something it really humanizes you. You become more authentic and relatable, and your students become more willing to share their experiences, thoughts, questions and feelings with you. They learn through your example that it is okay to not know everything. They see that they can move forward and not let a question or concern become a roadblock in their life's journey. They become more willing to listen and learn from you, your experiences and the experiences of others. So don't ever be afraid to admit you don't know everything because not knowing everything is a springboard in life, not a dead end.
Comments