Teachers and parents are often used to hearing excuses that students make, such as the classic ‘my dog ate my homework’ or false claims of feeling sick right before a big test. Students often use excuses to avoid the consequences of their actions, an effort made to protect their self-esteem and avoid disappointing others after failing to meet expectations. Excuses also temporarily relieve pressure and allow students to avoid embarrassment.
“Students make excuses to avoid getting in trouble, or to try to clarify their intent,” said junior Summer Renkert.
The failure to meet expectations can stem from many causes, such as procrastination, poor time management or unexpected issues in a person’s personal life. Common excuses used include illnesses, technological issues, family issues or lost papers.
According to a study reported by Psychology Today, participants have reported that they believe a third of their peers have falsely pretended to be sick to achieve a goal.
While excuses such as illnesses and lost papers have been used for many decades, technological issues being used as an excuse have become more common in recent years. With many schools relying on technology and the web for giving assignments, excuses such as being unable to turn something in and power outages have become easier and more believable.
While excuses may work the first time, they frequently result in guilt or more lies and are not a sustainable long-term solution.
According to Psychology Today, around 80% of participants in the reported survey who pretended to be sick later felt guilty about it.
However, sometimes students’ reasons for not turning something in involve family emergencies or them truly not having enough time to work on their schoolwork. When teachers do not demonstrate understanding, it can sometimes discourage the student from committing to their classes and increase anxiety. Although it can be hard to differentiate between excuses and valid reasons, teachers need to remain open-minded and empathic.
Teachers also often prefer honesty to excuses, and they will be more likely to trust certain students in the future, even if they made mistakes. Most teachers understand what it is like to make mistakes, and they often find accountability to show a commendable sense of maturity and bravery that they appreciate.
To both discourage inappropriate student behavior, such as lying and laziness, and prevent harming those who may require extra time and support, being clear about expectations and allowing students extended deadlines for first or second offenses is likely to lead to improvement. Those with repeated offenses may require extra help, guidance or parental contact if necessary.
In conclusion, even though it can be difficult to admit failure to your supervisors, teachers and peers, the long-term benefits often outweigh the potential harm. Excuses that avoid accountability often harm your reputation in the long-term, and learning that accountability is important and everyone makes mistakes is a valuable life lesson for the future.
