Amynah Bhanji

‘I don't know syndrome’
A new class comes in and I make a very big mistake! I ask them "can you add up to 100?" "No Miss" they chorus, very cheerful and absolutely convincingly.
What do I do now?
I fully well know that the previous teacher had covered this topic in detail and had made sure every little head could add up to 100: some quicker than others.
I could not believe it, I fell into this trap .....again!
I call this "I don't know syndrome".
Actually the "I don't know syndrome” could be many things. It could be a self-made barrier that a student creates around themselves because they do not want to learn at that moment. The first day back at school, they are in a new class - meeting and making new friends. So saying “I don’t know” is the most diplomatic answer in this situation when the student actually wants to say “leave me alone”.
The "I don't know syndrome” could also mean that students and teachers are testing and judging each other. No matter how big or small we are, we judge and classify things and students as well as teachers are no exceptions....Just like a teacher as soon as she enters the new classroom at the beginning of the year realises – this class is going to give me sleepless nights and grey hair or this class is going to run as smooth as black ice. No class is perfect, and a teacher has to be on her toes, to keep her students on their toes all the time. By the same token the students when they judge teachers as being social and lively, strict and serious or firm and friendly. A teachers’ reputation will always precede her appearance in class, so creating a good reputation in school is crucial. So when saying “I don’t know” here, the student is testing the teacher and waiting for her to take the next step.
This is the trap of the "I don't know syndrome".
For starters instead of asking students "Do you know how to add up to 100?" Just tell them “Show me how to add up to 100“ and “those who get the most correct will be the stars of the day”.
Rewards have an uncanny way of getting everyone's attention and everyone's brain working in seconds. Connecting performance with rewards helps students respond positively to any activity. With this strategy you will have students working in no time.
Interestingly, the more I delve into the "I don't know syndrome" the more it unravels.
In some genuine cases, the "I don't know syndrome" could be a protective barrier to hide lack of confidence – in case the teacher picks up on a quiet shy student who does not want to speak up in front of the class in fear of getting the answer wrong. In this situation saying “I don’t know” is way of saving face and also of dissipating the fear of getting the answer wrong.