5 Common Communication Mistakes Students often make with Teachers

Communication is one of the most important determinants that offers clear prospects, helps in better understanding and strengthens the connection between a student and a teacher. However, unfortunately, often students end up making communication mistakes while conversing with their teachers. It is essential to note that communication acts as a simulation tool that makes learning easy and helps students achieve their goals. It is, thus, significant for students to avoid the following mistakes while interacting with teachers and make their communication substantial.

Assuming without Understanding

Assumptions often tend to frame, distort and create our reality by causing our brain to filter out all the information that does not correlate with what we want to believe. Teachers are our greatest well wishers who always hope best for us. However, we assume their scolding and criticism as their contempt for us and never try to understand their concern behind the same. Moreover, while communicating with them we assume that they have understood what we were referring to. However, that’s not the case. We should communicate directly and more clearly with our teachers and not derive at conclusions based on our assumptions. After all, it makes much more sense to approach things using reasoning and from an objective perspective to form specific conclusion than doing the reverse.

Incomplete Communication

Often students struggle to communicate effectively with their teachers and end up making mistakes. Sometimes due to fear and at times because of ignorance, they do not converse completely and share only a part of the information, leaving out the essential details, thereby missing out on major information. As a result, teachers are not able to understand clearly and can’t take appropriate measures. They perceive the information in a different light and fail to help.

Lying & Denying

It is always a mistake to lie and you should particularly never lie to your teachers. Lying about false sickness or deceased relatives to save the grade is one of the worst mistakes that students make. Every teacher has a litany of excuses that students have used in the past and sick and funeral excuses top the list. Your teachers are well versed with your excuses and will know when you are lying. It will not only make you look like a fool but your teacher will never believe you in future.

Often there are occasions when due to mischief, your teacher takes you for task and is aware of your doings. Instead of denying and putting the blame on someone else, you should accept your mistake. Denying your actions often lead to miscommunication and creates certain perceptions about you in the teacher’s mind.

The ‘I know it all’ Attitude

Adopting the “I know it all” attitude and undermining your teacher’s knowledge is one of the communication blunders that students often make. Showing off your knowledge and intelligence by correcting your teachers and interrupting them during their lectures can do you more harm than good. Moreover, parading your intelligence in front of your teachers will make you appear disrespectful and snobbish instead of winning them over. Also, completing their conversations and correcting them is not just rude but also insulting.

Misbehaviour

Using flippant or insulting comments doesn’t help with teachers. Misbehaving with them will not only bar your communication with them but also portray you in a negative light. You should always keep in mind that you are talking to an authority figure. You should thus avoid arguments with your teacher and always address them with respect. Apart from that you should refrain from enquiring about their personal life or asking them if they are on social media sites. It is not just inappropriate but also an intrusion into someone’s privacy.

To conclude, students should develop productive ways of communicating with teachers and think before speaking. They should always address their teachers with respect and work on establishing a good rapport with them. What is important is to have a clear and effective communication, thereby minimising any chances of miscommunication. Remember that your teachers are your mentor, who would always support you and guide you in the right direction.