# What am I doing wrong?!



## Charlie Parker

I hope I haven't posted this already. In any case, I can't find it. I did find a handwritten note to myself to post it. Comes with age. The context is this: I've been teaching a concept and, from the look on children's faces, it is clear that they don't understand. I ask myself whether I've been teaching them the wrong way. Here are my attempts: 

_Qu'est-ce que je fais de mal ?_
_Qu'est-ce que je fais qui ne marche pas ? _

I'm stumped. The first sentence seems more like doing a morally wrong thing. Grateful for any help. Merci d'avance.


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## Broff

Hi Charlie

You could say:  

Qu'est-ce que vous ne comprennez pas?

Maybe you got the wrong post-it


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## Xanthius

ne pas comprendre and 'to do wrong' I think have quite different empasis... not to understand suggest the problem on the pupils' side - to do wrong suggests it's on the teacher's side - in my opinion.


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## archijacq

Qu'est-ce que j'ai bien pu faire de travers ?


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## Blancheneige

"Qu'est-ce que j'ai bien pu faire (de) faux ?"


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## Charlie Parker

Ah ! Merci à Blancheneige et à archijacq. Cela a du sens.


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## Charlie Parker

I just realized that in English there would be difference between "What am I doing wrong (currently, in the present)?" and "What have I done wrong/what did I do wrong? (in the past)" In the first case, there's still time for me to modify my teaching methods. In the second case, it may be too late. I have already tested the students and it is clear that they have not grasped the concept. For the past tense, would I say?

_Qu'est-ce que j'avais bien pu faire de travers ?_

Merci d'avance.


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## Broff

Or, qu'est-ce que j'ai fait de travers?


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## Xavier11222

I don't remember that French teachers or professors would say anything like this - back in the days, it was hardly ever the teacher's fault if something wasn't clear. 

" Qu'est ce qui ne va pas?" is what comes to my mind: leaves a little space for interpretation as to who has something wrong with them. Could mean there's something wrong with the explanation, could mean the students have something "qui ne va pas". 

Not that I would advocate the art of letting students think something's wrong with them when they don't understand. Archijacq's and Broff's solutions have my preference.


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## Blancheneige

Actually, Xavier has a point. As a teacher, you wouldn't be expected to say "Qu'est-ce que j'ai fait de travers/de faux". It would indeed sound strange.
What about saying "_Qu'est-ce qui n'est pas clair_ ?" As in Xavier's proposal, it does leave room for interpretation ;-)


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## Broff

I do agree with Blancheneige and xavier that _Qu'est-ce qui n'est pas clair_ ? is most likely what a teacher would say.


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## Xavier11222

Broff said:


> I do agree with Blancheneige and xavier that _Qu'est-ce qui n'est pas clair_ ? is most likely what a *French* teacher would say.


 
Sadly.


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## Charlie Parker

Sorry, but I'm still in the dark. Firstly, are both sentences natural and idiomatic. That is, are both
_1. Qu'est-ce que j'ai bien pu faire de travers ? and _
_2. Qu'est-ce que je fais de travers ?_
correct?
Secondly, I like _Qu'est-ce qui n'est pas clair_ ? and _Qu'est-ce qui ne na pas_  ?
Both express the realization that students are not following me, and both are non-committal as to fault or responsability. To me, both leave open the possibility that either the students are lacking in intellence or I have presented the lesson poorly.
Thirdly, in Canada and the U.S. teachers would very definitely question their own methods and assume responsability for a poorly planned and executed lesson. To return to my original question. I am assuming responsability. I suspect that I am (presently) teaching concepts ineffectively or that (in the past) I may have taught ineffectively. In English, it is very easy to express these ideas. Comment dit-on
1. What am I doing wrong?
2. What have I done wrong?
Merci d'avance.


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## Broff

> that either the students are lacking in intellence


 
Not necesarily, it can mean that they were not attentive.  It is a statement that leaves all possibilities open.




> in Canada and the U.S. teachers would very definitely question their own methods and assume responsability for a poorly planned and executed lesson


 
Where were you Charlie Parker when I went to school!


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## Charlie Parker

Yes, Broff. I agree. They behaved poorly; they were inattentive; they simply lacked the requisite intelligence. I remain in the dark about my two French sentences. Do they make sense? Are they in current use?


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## Xavier11222

Yes Charlie Parker, they do make sense and they are definitely in use. Sorry we've gotten lost in ideology. 


> _1. Qu'est-ce que j'ai bien pu faire de travers ? and
> 2. Qu'est-ce que je fais de travers ?_


are both idiomatic.
_Qu'est-ce qui n'est pas clair?_ isn't as ambiguous as _Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas ? _and does question the adequacy and effectiveness of your explanation. I would definitely favor _Qu'est-ce qui n'est pas clair ? -_ as a French native and as a teacher: it doesn't denote guilt or fault, asks students to express a problem they're encountering.


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## Charlie Parker

Thank you for your patience Xavier. That does help. Sorry to be a nuisance. Does 1. express the past and 2. the present? I promise this is the last time I'll ask.


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## Xavier11222

Yes, 1. is abou*t* something you have done, 2. is about something that you are in the porcess of doing or generally do.


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## Charlie Parker

Merci beaucoup Xavier. Vous êtes très généreux de votre temps.


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## archijacq

Il est également possible de changer de registre d'expression:
"Quelle est la faille dans ma méthode ?"
"Où est la faille dans ma méthode ?"


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## Moon Palace

Just to defend those that have been here accused of not ever thinking they could be fallible. Maybe it is a question of generation or of geography, but I regularly question my methods, all the more so if I feel something has not been well understood. 
Yet I wouldn't utter it this way in front of students. I would go for 'qu'est-ce qui n'est pas clair?' and this to me would undoubtedly imply I was the one not to make things clear enough. 
But to come back to your question Charlie Parker , both your sentences are right indeed. 
In a colloquial register, you could also ask 'qu'est-ce qui cloche?' but here again, you don't explicitly point to your own responsibility. 
Or more precise: 'quelle erreur (de jugement?) ai-je commise?' or 'où me suis-je trompé?' (the latter hinting at a step in the process of learning that has been inefficiently dealt with). 
Hope it helps, and please have some better regard for those who are trying to do their job in a professional way.


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## Charlie Parker

Merci achijacq.


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## Charlie Parker

Je reviens à ce fil avec un autre contexte. Je fais mon café avec une cafetière et deux fois la machine a débordé et il y avait du café partout, sur le comptoir et sur le plancher. Je me suis dit en anglais : "What am I doing wrong?" Dans ce cas, est-ce que je peux dire : « Qu'est-ce que je fais de travers ? »


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## LART01

Bonjour Charlie,

Oui, je pourrais dire ça.Ou encore:

Qu'est-ce que _j'ai fait _de travers?

Et si je suis très enervé parce qu'il y a du café partout :

Putain, qu'est-ce que j'ai foutu!


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## Charlie Parker

Merci beaucoup, LART01. Cette dernière phrase va dans mon carnet.


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## Nicomon

Et si tu dis cette dernière phrase au Québec (où _putain_ n'est pas courant) on pensera que t'as appris le français de l'autre côté de la mare.

- _Shit (ou merde) qu'est-ce que j'ai fait là _! (mon équivalent de la phrase de LART)
_- Bon, la cafetière a encore débordé _(pas trop énervé - tu constates)
_- Bravo Charlie, pour les dégâts t'es pas mal champion ! _(autodérision)
_- Maudite cafetière qui déborde tout le temps _(tu t'en prends à la machine, parce que toi, t'as rien fait de travers)

_- Qu'est-ce que je ne fais pas comme il faut? 
- Comment elle marche (au juste), cette cafetière? 
- Je devrais peut-être lire le manuel d'utilisation? _


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## moustic

J'ai fait quoi, là ?
Ou
Bon, j'arrête le café (trop compliqué) je me mets au thé!


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## Lacuzon

Saloperie de machine !
Je savais que j'aurais dû lire ce fichu manuel ! (RTFM, n'est-ce pas Charlie et Nico !)
Je dois rater un truc mais quoi ?
Allons bon, qu'est-ce qui cloche ?
Qu'est-ce que je merde là ?
Qu'est-ce qui merde encore ?


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## Itisi

Pour l'exemple avec les élèves, je dirais 'Où est-ce que je me trompe ?'  Et celui avec la cafetière, 'Qu'est-ce que j'ai (encore) fait ?)


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## Nicomon

moustic said:


> Bon, j'arrête le café (trop compliqué) je me mets au thé!


  Ou aux infusions de camomille. 

On dirait que cette histoire de débordement de café nous inspire.


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