Get Comfortable with Mistakes
Throughout the Digital Learning and Leading program, we have been working on developing an innovation plan. These plans are extensive and disruptive, ready to change education and increase student achievement, but these innovations won’t stick if we don’t get others involved. Collaboration is what leads to innovation. We can’t be in this alone. It’s not that we aren’t capable; it’s that an idea won’t change the world if we keep it to ourselves.
We need to get comfortable with the feeling of being uncomfortable (EdCan Network, 2016). If it doesn’t challenge you, you aren’t learning. Learning occurs when we are challenged and taking risks, so we need to hand over the control to the students. The days of the all-knowing teacher standing at the front of the classroom are over. Educators today need to be able to take risks, make mistakes, and learn WITH their students. If we embrace the growth mindset, we cannot be afraid to make mistakes. Let your students see you make mistakes so that they know it’s okay for them to make mistakes as well. We, teachers and students, are learning together (EdCan Network, 2016). Teachers and students are lifelong learners with growth mindsets, failing forward as we go.
Microsoft Word underlined “learning” in the previous paragraph. Confused, I clicked on the suggestion. The word processor wanted me to change “learning” to “teaching” because of the word “teachers” in the subject of the sentence. Well, Microsoft Word, as a teacher I hope you know that I do a whole lot more than “teach.” Teachers take on numerous roles to help their students learn and grow. We can’t limit the role of the teacher to just teaching and learning, but it’s certainly a place to start. Let’s make mistakes, collaborate, learn, and teach. Relax and get comfortable with mistakes.
References
EdCan Network Le Réseau ÉdCan. (2016, May 19). Innovation that sticks case study - OCSB: Risk taking [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAMcjUzdVnE
Josephs, B. (2018). Get Comfortable with Mistakes [Photograph]. Retrieved from iPhone photo library.
