Keep eye contact with the person you’re speaking to. It may be difficult, but they are more likely to believe you if you look them in the eyes while you’re telling your story. Stand up straight. People who are lying unconsciously lean back to get away from the person they’re having a conversation with. [1] X Research source Don’t stammer or say “um. ” These are signs that you’re nervous and making up what you’re going to say. Use strong, clear speech.
Pretend you’re crying because you can’t believe they would accuse you of bad behavior. If you pretend to cry because you’re sorry, then you will probably still face consequences for whatever you did wrong. If you get upset enough, you may even get an apology from the teacher or principal. You also just might be allowed to miss a little bit of class to compose yourself.
Keep eye contact to show that you’re listening, and don’t speak out of turn. No matter what, never raise your voice in anger or cause any disruption. This will only make the problem worse. Thank the teacher or principal when you leave the office. This also shows respect, and may convince your them that you deserve another chance to mature to their standards.
Going to an authority figure and telling them what you did wrong shows that you are mature enough to accept the consequences for your actions. This might cause them to take it a little easier on you. In some cases, you may get a lesser punishment like having to visit the counselor for a week, but this is better than being expelled.
If you don’t apologize, they might take it to mean that you don’t regret what you did. If that’s the case, they may even give you a worse punishment to make you learn your lesson. Tell them that you won’t ever do it again. This shows that you have learned from your mistake. A well-written apology letter is a great way help get yourself off the hook. Good writing skills show a teacher how smart and mature you are, and they may be so impressed that they rethink punishing you. A written apology will also be a good idea if you are too shy to approach your teacher or principal directly.
If you genuinely don’t understand why you got in trouble, it’s time to have a talk with your instructor. Ask them what you did and how you can improve in the future. If a teacher tries to accuse you of something that you really aren’t guilty of, don’t be afraid to stand your ground. You should not be punished if you didn’t commit the crime. When you are being unfairly punished for something you did not do, then go to the principal. If the principal doesn’t believe you, then go to your parents. They are more likely to believe you and will speak up for you at school if they need to.
Be aware of why you behaved wrongly, and of how this behavior has impacted the people around you. If you focus on the root reasons of your behavior and how you are making other people feel with your actions, it will probably make you think before you act next time. You should understand that teachers and principals are responsible for your safety, and a lot of times discipline comes down to safety issues.
Admitting your mistake and offering to make up for it in a way that helps the school will look good to any teacher or principal. This also shows that you are mature and willing to accept the consequences of your actions. If teachers know how good you can be, it may even keep you out of trouble in the future.
Be a good example, and offer to mentor a younger student who is being disruptive at school. You can offer good advice to help the student, and seeing bad behavior from a different perspective will help you reevaluate your own actions.
