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Crystalina · Oct 21st, 2009, 01:24 AM

Ok, this is SOOOOOO embarrassing.

I am a former teacher who was laid off from an administration job three months ago. Since I haven't been able to find a full-time job, I am tutoring on the side for some first and second grade students.

Well, a very affluent, well-educated family hired me to tutor their second grade son. Anytime we come to a word in the story that he's unable to read, we put the challenge word on a flash card for further review.

After reviewing several time, if he can then read the word, he gets to keep the card. Well, one of the words he couldn't read was ''hobbies.'' So instead of writing ''hobbies'' on the card, I wrote ''hobbie'' (OMG, embarrasing!) instead of ''hobby.''

When the dad asked me about it and why it wasn't spelled ''hobby'' with a ''y'', I explained that I believed ''hobbie'' was a variant spelling, but I'd research it.

Well, ''hobbie'' doesn't exist. What do I say now? I pretty adamantly defended my spelling of the word. What's the best way to approach this next time I see the father?

bagnshoofetish · Oct 21st, 2009, 01:27 AM

be honest.
we are all only human and all make mistakes.
tell him you were probably tired and had a brain-fart. it happens to the best of us. instead of "brain-fart" use terms his affluent and educated person could digest like, "senior moment" or "lapse of memory".

peace43 · Oct 21st, 2009, 01:29 AM

Just tell him you goofed - you made a mistake. That's it! You're human!! :) Use it as a learning experience to teach the child to look up a word in the dictionary when unsure of the spelling.

bagnshoofetish · Oct 21st, 2009, 01:32 AM

Originally Posted by peace43

Just tell him you goofed - you made a mistake. That's it! You're human!! :) Use it as a learning experience to teach the child to look up a word in the dictionary when unsure of the spelling.

yup. also a good way to teach the child to admit his/her mistakes...

Necromancer · Oct 21st, 2009, 01:36 AM

I feel your pain. Muphry's Law happens to me from time to time. It's embarrassing, but it happens to the best of us.
You could always spin some outlandish story like it's a common spelling in outback Australia, where you lived when you were a child, and it became the norm for you...and you have a weird habit of still adding the letter "U" in a lot of words like colour and favour.

Or you could say it was an honest mistake, that you meant to write the plural, and didn't even realise it until it was too late. On the upside, at least the father is checking and helping with his son's work.

Crystalina · Oct 21st, 2009, 01:50 AM

Originally Posted by Necromancer

I feel your pain. Muphry's Law happens to me from time to time. It's embarrassing, but it happens to the best of us.
You could always spin some outlandish story like it's a common spelling in outback Australia, where you lived when you were a child, and it became the norm for you...and you have a weird habit of still adding the letter "U" in a lot of words like colour and favour.

Or you could say it was an honest mistake, that you meant to write the plural, and didn't even realise it until it was too late. On the upside, at least the father is checking and helping with his son's work.

LOL! Great suggestions and very funny!

I wish I could make myself tell some crazy story about my upbringing in the outback as a young child, but I can't!

I know I should just say I made a mistake, but I so passionately defended the spelling with ''ie'' at the end. I feel like a fool (I AM a fool!) and I'm pretty sure they are going to fire me for teaching him this incorrect spelling (the child memorized this spelling over a period of 4 classes!)

They don't let their child get away with anything, and I'm sure it will be no different when it comes to me!

ShoeFanatic · Oct 21st, 2009, 02:33 AM

Blame it on the kid..tell him you 'testing' his son to see if he'd catch the error

Expat · Oct 21st, 2009, 02:49 AM

Sorry - you really do HAVE to admit you made a mistake. It shows honesty and strength of character.
What's the worst that could happen by you admitting it? Not a lot.

karmenzsofia · Oct 21st, 2009, 02:54 AM

Why did you lie when he asked you? Why didn't you tell him you left out the "s"?

BigPurseSue · Oct 21st, 2009, 03:03 AM

Actually you're not entirely wrong Christalina. Holly Hobbie is the name of a famous artist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holly_Hobbie) whose name has been extensively commercialized by the American Greetings company since the 1970s. It's perfectly understandable that because of the wide use of the Hobbie name one would think "hobbie" is an actual variant spelling of "hobby." Admit your error but beg forgiveness on the basis of popular cultural saturation.

Sternchen · Oct 21st, 2009, 04:50 AM

Be honest and say you made a mistake...you wanted to write Hobbies but you forgot the "s"...hmmm, but you already said that "Hobbie" is an alternate way of spelly Hobby...

chaz · Oct 21st, 2009, 07:42 AM

You could say you meant this, as further reading! LOL!!

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1019122647.htm

Seriously though, just say you goofed, apologise and move on. I think your honesty will be respected more than you think.

Compass Rose · Oct 21st, 2009, 08:08 AM

....you could say, simply, that you are "sorrie".

vhdos · Oct 21st, 2009, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by BigPurseSue

Actually you're not entirely wrong Christalina. Holly Hobbie is the name of a famous artist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holly_Hobbie) whose name has been extensively commercialized by the American Greetings company since the 1970s. It's perfectly understandable that because of the wide use of the Hobbie name one would think "hobbie" is an actual variant spelling of "hobby." Admit your error but beg forgiveness on the basis of popular cultural saturation.

This is exactly what I was thinking. As a young girl, who liked Holly Hobbie, the "hobbie" spelling was a normal response.

aklein · Oct 21st, 2009, 09:02 AM

I'm not entirely sure why you didn't just admit to having a brain fart in the first place?
I don't think you should make up another story for your mistake. Why would you continue to lie about something so silly? It will just make you look worse in the long run and it's also insulting to your employer.
Just admit you made a mistake and apologize for confusing their son. Mention that you will double (and triple) check that the words on the flash cards are spelled correctly in the future. So that this does not happen again.

Oct 21st, 2009, 01:24 AM	#1
Crystalina OP Member Joined: Mar 2007 Location: West Coast Posts: 712	MAJORLY embarrassing mistake--What do I do now? Ok, this is SOOOOOO embarrassing. I am a former teacher who was laid off from an administration job three months ago. Since I haven't been able to find a full-time job, I am tutoring on the side for some first and second grade students. Well, a very affluent, well-educated family hired me to tutor their second grade son. Anytime we come to a word in the story that he's unable to read, we put the challenge word on a flash card for further review. After reviewing several time, if he can then read the word, he gets to keep the card. Well, one of the words he couldn't read was ''hobbies.'' So instead of writing ''hobbies'' on the card, I wrote ''hobbie'' (OMG, embarrasing!) instead of ''hobby.'' When the dad asked me about it and why it wasn't spelled ''hobby'' with a ''y'', I explained that I believed ''hobbie'' was a variant spelling, but I'd research it. Well, ''hobbie'' doesn't exist. What do I say now? I pretty adamantly defended my spelling of the word. What's the best way to approach this next time I see the father?
	__________________ ''Beauty fades, dumb is forever.'' ~ Judge Judy

Oct 21st, 2009, 01:27 AM	#2
bagnshoofetish keep smiling.... Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 20,383	be honest. we are all only human and all make mistakes. tell him you were probably tired and had a brain-fart. it happens to the best of us. instead of "brain-fart" use terms his affluent and educated person could digest like, "senior moment" or "lapse of memory".
	__________________

Oct 21st, 2009, 01:29 AM	#3
peace43 Member Joined: Nov 2006 Location: USA Posts: 5,210	Just tell him you goofed - you made a mistake. That's it! You're human!! :) Use it as a learning experience to teach the child to look up a word in the dictionary when unsure of the spelling.
	__________________ My collection....

Oct 21st, 2009, 02:33 AM	#7
ShoeFanatic Member Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 253	Blame it on the kid..tell him you 'testing' his son to see if he'd catch the error
ShoeFanatic Member Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 253

Oct 21st, 2009, 02:49 AM	#8
Expat Carole Joined: Jun 2008 Location: A Brit in Tokyo Posts: 1,831	Sorry - you really do HAVE to admit you made a mistake. It shows honesty and strength of character. What's the worst that could happen by you admitting it? Not a lot.
	__________________ Note to self - No more black bags! Wishlist: The Perfect Red - then I'm done! My seriously neglected blog

Oct 21st, 2009, 01:36 AM	#5
Necromancer Member Joined: Sep 2008 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 3,469	I feel your pain. Muphry's Law happens to me from time to time. It's embarrassing, but it happens to the best of us. You could always spin some outlandish story like it's a common spelling in outback Australia, where you lived when you were a child, and it became the norm for you...and you have a weird habit of still adding the letter "U" in a lot of words like colour and favour. Or you could say it was an honest mistake, that you meant to write the plural, and didn't even realise it until it was too late. On the upside, at least the father is checking and helping with his son's work.

Oct 21st, 2009, 02:54 AM	#9
karmenzsofia Life is Plan Z Joined: Jun 2008 Location: Tarot Card Posts: 14,891	Why did you lie when he asked you? Why didn't you tell him you left out the "s"?
	__________________ Satisfied but wishing 4 a WTM Mini and an AP ~~* Is it true? Is it helpful? Is it necessary? Is it kind? Or, more importantly, is it funny?

Oct 21st, 2009, 03:03 AM	#10
BigPurseSue Member Joined: Sep 2007 Location: Amid the prairies of the Midwest with the tiger swallow-tail butterflies. Posts: 1,315	Actually you're not entirely wrong Christalina. Holly Hobbie is the name of a famous artist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holly_Hobbie) whose name has been extensively commercialized by the American Greetings company since the 1970s. It's perfectly understandable that because of the wide use of the Hobbie name one would think "hobbie" is an actual variant spelling of "hobby." Admit your error but beg forgiveness on the basis of popular cultural saturation.
	__________________ "My wife would not think of leaving the house for even a half hour without sufficient possessions in her purse alone to establish a comfortable wilderness homestead." -- Dave Barry

Oct 21st, 2009, 04:50 AM	#11
Sternchen Proud mama of 3! Joined: May 2006 Location: Bavaria, Germany Posts: 13,954	Be honest and say you made a mistake...you wanted to write Hobbies but you forgot the "s"...hmmm, but you already said that "Hobbie" is an alternate way of spelly Hobby...
	__________________ Dear Santa, I have been a very good girl this year and have worked very hard for my family, my school and my job. This year I would like to wish for only one thing: THE CUPCAKE CAR!!! Please and thank you. Love, Melanie

Oct 21st, 2009, 07:42 AM	#12
chaz Superstar DJ Joined: Sep 2007 Location: Blissful!! Posts: 14,188	You could say you meant this, as further reading! LOL!! http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1019122647.htm Seriously though, just say you goofed, apologise and move on. I think your honesty will be respected more than you think.
	__________________

Oct 21st, 2009, 08:08 AM	#13
Compass Rose Opie, My Schmopie!! Joined: Jul 2006 Location: Southwest Florida Posts: 8,627	....you could say, simply, that you are "sorrie".
	__________________ Teddie says......"They'll never find me in here"! My jewelry creations at: www.greenfeatherdesigns.com

Oct 21st, 2009, 09:02 AM	#15
aklein Member Joined: Dec 2007 Location: New Orleans Posts: 3,478	I'm not entirely sure why you didn't just admit to having a brain fart in the first place? I don't think you should make up another story for your mistake. Why would you continue to lie about something so silly? It will just make you look worse in the long run and it's also insulting to your employer. Just admit you made a mistake and apologize for confusing their son. Mention that you will double (and triple) check that the words on the flash cards are spelled correctly in the future. So that this does not happen again.

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