Mistakes as Wonderful Opportunities to Learn. Really?

Take a moment to close your eyes and drift back to your school days. Remember those times when you stumbled, faltered, and made mistakes—oh, the countless mistakes! Now, consider the messages that surrounded those moments. Were they ones of disappointment, inadequacy, or perhaps even a tinge of shame?

I bet some of you, like me, heard things like, "You should know better," "What were you thinking? " or perhaps, "This is disappointing." Those words had a way of making us feel small, inadequate, or even just plain 'bad.'

But let's rewind the tape for a moment and consider what could have been. 

What if, instead of criticism, we were met with encouragement and engagement in the process of fixing and learning from our mistakes?

Now, let's not be too hard on ourselves. We were kids; we weren't consciously deciding our fate based on those messages. However, if we reflect back on it, it's clear that we made decisions about ourselves and how to approach challenges in the future.

Some of us might have decided that we were inherently 'bad' or 'inadequate.' Others chose not to take risks for fear of falling short of perfection. Some became experts at seeking approval to validate their worth, while a few embarked on a journey to prove themselves at any cost. And then there were those who mastered the art of concealment, avoiding mistakes like covert agents or expert blame-shifters.

But let's pivot for a moment. The intentions behind those negative messages were well-meant. Parents and teachers wanted us to excel, to strive for excellence. However, perhaps we never stopped to consider the long-term effects of these methods – how they etched certain beliefs into our minds, beliefs that would accompany us throughout our lives.

The truth is, much of parenting and teaching is rooted in fear. The fear that if we don't push our students to do better, we're failing them. The fear of what others might think if we adopt a more compassionate approach. The fear that if we don't administer blame, shame, and pain, we'll be perceived as permissive.

But there is another way – a path less travelled, yet one that genuinely motivates students to excel without exacting a toll on their self-worth. It's the path of teaching students to be excited about their mistakes, to view them not as failures but as thrilling opportunities to learn.

Imagine a world where an adult says to a student, "You made a mistake. That's fantastic! What can we learn from it? " It's a world where curiosity questions become the norm:

• "What was your mistake?"

• "What can you have to learn from your mistake?"

• “How can you grow from your mistake?”

• "What ideas do you have to solve the problem that would work better than punishment?"

Students need more than just occasional exposure to the value of mistakes; they need a daily dose of this wisdom. It's about replacing punishment and rescuing with problem-solving skills, creating an environment where learning from mistakes is celebrated. And guess what? You can start this change today.

Begin by inviting your students to share their 'mistake of the day' during class. Encourage them to reflect on what went wrong and what they learned from it. Laughter and learning will become their companions. If you have younger students you can begin by reading one of my favourite books, Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg.

I recently conducted a workshop with fellow teachers, and we adopted a novel approach. Whenever one of us made a mistake, the entire group celebrated with applause and laughter. It created an environment where mistakes weren't dreaded but embraced as stepping stones to growth. Why not try something like this in your workplace?

Let's pave the way for a generation of children who aren't afraid of mistakes but instead relish them as the wondrous opportunities they truly are. Join me in this mission, and together, we'll foster a love for learning that transcends the fear of making mistakes.