Whether it’s a one-off mistake or recurring confusion, every teacher has had to deal with a child mistaking one word for another in a lesson, often with hilarious results.
In a recent Twitter thread, teachers shared some of their students’ funniest gaffes, underlining just how farcical things can get - and why it’s part of the joy of working with young people.
Here are some of our favourites:
1. An innocent mistake
Me: This 3D shape is called a cylinder
Year 1 child: My auntie’s called Linda ??
- Miss Stodd (@Miss_Stodd) March 15, 2021
2. Sister or shape?
I had a similar experience in Year 1 with sphere. ‘My sister is called Sofia.’ Though you be fair, the children did use that to help them remember the name of the shape! ?
- Sarah Bishop (@slbishop73) March 16, 2021
3. In fact, spheres come up a lot
Mine couldn’t say sphere. They said Sofia. We have two girls called Sophia who were really confused by the whole thing!
- Abbey ? (@abi_snail1) March 15, 2021
Sphere- We have a Sophia in our class ?
- Fiona White (@FionaWh07493081) March 16, 2021
4. Tears in Devon
Reminds me of a time a Year 1 child arrived in class in floods of tears because his man was going to heaven. Turns out she was moving to Devon.
- Sarah Blooms (@Sunny_Blooms) March 16, 2021
5. Rubberly love
Me: have you got a rubber?
Child: no, but I’ve got a sister.
- VickyDupras (@VickyDupras) March 17, 2021
6. Schoolchildren on safari
Fabulous!
I once asked...what is this? after drawing a bar chart on the board....
“Its a giraffe!” came the reply
I was looking for ‘graph’ but close enough!
- Karen Stanley (@kstanleywrites) March 16, 2021
Hahah! I asked one of my students the other day, “what is an alliance?” And he really confidently said “an animal.” He thought I said a lion ??
- Alexandra Lyon (@_misslyon) March 16, 2021
7. Darker than expected
Me: We are going to find out about symmetry today. P4: I know about that. My grandad is in the cemetery!
- Jackie Hunter ???????? (@_jackie_hunter) March 16, 2021
8. Keeping a straight face
“Patience is a virgin” is still my fave. Not sure how I kept a straight face
- Sarah (@sarahs_81) March 16, 2021
