A Lesson for Everyone

The biggest mistakes I have made in my life have also been my best learning lessons. Speaking unkindly of a friend to fit in was not worth the churning of my stomach as I went to go apologize when she found out what I had said. Signing up for that credit card my Sophomore year at college to get the free Snickers bar was not worth the debt I racked up at too young of an age (but did I mention it was a KING SIZE candy bar?!)

How does all this talk of hurt feelings and money woes pertain to teaching? Mistakes are one of the best ways I know to really ingrain new thinking. I'm not saying my First Graders need these kinds of big life mistakes at such a young age, but I do feel that the mistakes they make need to be celebrated; almost revered for the learning that can come from them. Instead of laying into a child for a negative behavior or for not following directions as you make exchanges with the base 10 blocks...again!!!, instead of losing your patience, embarrassing the child or making an example of them as a "what not to do"...take a minute. How does the mistake help us all learn in a way that is meaningful and respectful; in a, "thanks for letting us learn from you today" way?

Try to make a lot of mistakes as a teacher. We know modeling is the best way to get a point across so model making mistakes. Sometimes the mistakes can be planned...sometimes not so planned. But instead of getting embarrassed or defensive, try really hard to turn it into a lesson for everyone. Make mistakes as you read aloud sometimes, stop yourself and say, "Wait a minute, that didn't make any sense. I must have made a mistake; I'm going to read that again!" Make mistakes as you write for and with the kids, "Whoops, I forgot to put an 's' on the end of that word to show there was more than one. I will put it on now!" When you let your impatience with a child get the best of you and have embarrassed them in some way, stop and say to everyone, "You know, Kate should have come to the rug when I asked her to instead of playing with the computer, but I should not have raised my voice in front of everyone. I should have talked to her by herself. I made a mistake and I'm sorry Kate. For your part, will you make sure you help all of us by following directions the first time so we don't waste any learning time?" Kate will agree, everyone will have learned something and we move on.

My son's teacher recently wrote him a thank you note for a gift he had made for her. In the note, she had a written a word, then crossed it off and written a different word on top. Around this same time, my son had been working on a birthday card for his Grandma, when I heard him say, "OOOOO...I wrote the wrong thing. Now it is ruined!" I grabbed the note his teacher had sent and said, "It is not ruined, lots of writers just cross off their mistakes and write something new. See, just like your teacher did in the note she wrote you." Without another fuss, he grabbed the marker and got back to it. Thanks for not being perfect Mrs. Garrettson-you came through that day!

Celebrate mistakes. You never know what kind of learning opportunity will result!