Model learning from mistakes

Learning from failure is critical to developing a resilient young person. Teachers can help by creating a learning environment in which failure, setbacks, and disappointment are an expected and honored part of learning, where students are praised for their hard work, perseverance, and grit, not just for grades and easy successes, and where they are held accountable for producing work in which they feel ownership and internal reward.

Consider making a school bulletin board where students can brag about their worst errors and what they learned from them, in addition to displaying their accomplishments. Tell the class about your own blunders, especially if they were amusing, and what you learned from them. Allow kids to repair errors and resubmit work, and be sure to notice when their work improves because nothing demonstrates learning from mistakes more than improvement. You can also clearly describe some exercises as rough-draft thinking, giving kids the freedom to ask questions, make mistakes, and then edit without fear of failure.