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College of Education

We’ve been there: Faculty share their silly first-year mistakes

sillyWe asked your former professors: What’s one of the funniest/silliest mistakes you made as a first-year teacher?

Dr. Todd Goodson (Secondary English, Speech/Theatre, Journalism)—“The office called for me to go to gym for a head lice check. I forgot to take my students with me.”

Dr. Sherri Martinie (Secondary Math)  “I hardly ever sat down. I stayed busy the whole day and even often ate lunch on the go. One day I was opening a pull-top can of tuna walking down the hallway and sliced my thumb. I had to leave school and have someone take me to get stiches! Lots of people teased me about it. I learned that I needed to stop, sit down, relax and enjoy a 20-minute lunch! My well being depended on it!”

Dr. Tom Vontz (Elementary Social Studies)  “I left my barn door open after lunch.”

Dr. Phillip Payne (Music Education)  “Most of these are really inside jokes among our staff! We still have a great time with them… while this is not silly, the moral of the story is enjoy every moment and don’t take yourself too seriously.”