I am developing a superpower. It’s not the kind you’d find in a comic book, but it’s real, and it’s powerful.
I’m a master at stuffing up.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Stuffing up—a superpower? Are you alright?”
Let me explain. My superpower isn’t just about messing up. The power comes from fixing up.
Have you ever had a perfectly planned lesson, resources at the ready and engaging activities that kids were sure to love and then… disaster? How did you react? Did you get annoyed with the kids? Did you beat yourself up about it? Or did you just head home and binge-watch Netflix to forget the whole thing? Maybe a bit of all three.
What if I told you there’s a better way to respond—one that reduces stress and strengthens relationships?
One of my epic teacher fails was a hands-on maths lesson on capacity—measuring jugs, empty ice cream containers, water… you get the idea. Can you feel the disaster looming?
It all started smoothly, but then one eager child accidentally tipped their measuring jug on the desk. Then another. Within seconds, water was everywhere—on desks, the floor, each other!
In my excitement, I had totally forgotten to prime my class on expectations. Big mistake. Big mess.
I had two choices: Lose my cool or own my stuff up. I chose the latter. I circled up with my class, and said, “Well, that didn’t work.” We cleaned up, laughed about our ‘wet and wild’ lesson, and tried again—this time with clear instructions and no soaked uniforms.
The way we respond to mistakes has a huge impact on our classroom culture.
Do we brush it off and pretend it never happened? Do we shift the blame? Do we beat ourselves up over it? Or do we talk about it, learn from it, and move forward?
If I’m honest, I’ve probably used all the strategies above. But I’ve learned that taking responsibility for my mistakes earns trust, deepens connections, and shows I’m just as human as everyone else.
Our students are watching us closely. They see how we handle ourselves when things don’t go as planned. When we mess up—and let’s be real, we all do—they’re taking mental notes on how we deal with it. This presents a critical opportunity to turn a bad situation into a learning moment.
The first step is owning it, but the real power lies in reflecting and repairing. Whether it’s a botched lesson or the uncomfortable moment of losing our temper, it takes courage to be vulnerable, own our actions and repair the harm.
Think about the message this sends. It creates a classroom culture where students feel safe to do the same. They learn it’s okay to say, “I don’t get it.” They recognise how to repair with their friends when emotions get the best of them. By watching us model resilience and repair, they learn to approach their own challenges with a similar mindset.
So, the next time you stuff up… own up and fix it up. Use your superpower for good. Because in the end, it’s not about the mistake—it’s how we respond to it that counts.
