"Its not my responsibility"
It is your responsibility because inside your classroom you are king (or queen). This means that all decisions and determinations rest with you. It is up to you to set the tone, develop and nurture the philosophy and create the climate."I don't teach English, so I don't have to teach writing"
This is a false statement. All teachers regardless of content area teach reading and writing. Some tips for incorporating this idea is 1) reduce typos and write clearly 2) Use correct grammar when speaking and 3) Use blogging as an authentic writing tool in any class setting."Its not my problem if a student fails"
Ultimately it is your problem if a student fails in your class. I truly believe that a mastery model of teaching will address many of the causes of failing. Provide students with flexible schedules for them to complete work and structure in ways for them to revise or re-do their assignments and assessments."Failing teaches kids a lesson"
Failing only breeds unhappiness and discontent. Remind students that you are playing on the same team and put as many structures into place to prevent failure. Remember that learning is a process that occurs over time and shouldn't really be measured as a snapshot in time.What phrases make you cringe?
Did these phrases resonate with you? Are there others that you have heard that you wish could be stricken from educators lexicon? I'm hoping that after reading this post that together we can help remove these (and others) harmful phrases and concepts from classrooms around the world.