Of course, there were discussions and eventually they understood they could have done better. Some were smarter. They asked for reasons for their marks. To me this was an indication that they were ready to learn from their mistakes. I believe we come to learn because we do not know and making a mistake is not a crime. It only proves you are trying. If you don’t try, you don’t make mistakes and you don’t learn from them. I handled mistakes in a positive and mature way. Those involved in teaching know that not all students are perfect and we spend a lot of our time correcting their mistakes.
The problem with students is not that they make mistakes. The real problem is that teachers don’t use those mistakes to promote learning. Since shame is attached to mistakes, students fear taking chances, exploring, and thinking for themselves. The trick to being a good teacher is to correct mistakes in an encouraging and useful manner. I know I have puzzled quite a few people. Yet there are ways to doing it properly. It starts with structuring the classroom and changing the way we look at and talk about mistakes, such that it encourages learning. First thing to do is to create a de-stigmatized learning environment. So how do we go about this?
It all boils down to changing the way we look at mistakes. As soon as we start looking at mistakes as teachable moments, the classroom environment totally changes. Having a discussion on the mistake is the process of turning the big red ‘X’ in an assignment into a one-to-one tutoring opportunity: encouraging students to explore why they reached that particular solution, whether for math equations, literature interpretations, or anything else.
When does wisdom kick in?
The other thing to do is to guide students to correct their work themselves, and help them to think deeper. This has two benefits. First, it helps you understand their viewpoint and second, it encourages them to think critically about their responses. Once you start looking at mistakes as learning opportunities, it will encourage growth, creativity and free expression in students. At the same time it will also encourage critical thinking in them. Teachers need to spend more time working alongside students to help them find solutions to their problems.
There is an African saying, “It takes a village to raise a child”. But all it takes is a classroom to encourage one. The act of categorizing students as an A student or F student ignores the root cause of their mistakes and hinders learning. We need to understand that if majority of the class makes the same mistake, it’s our fault and not that of the students. So instead of ignoring it, we should go back and work along with the students to make sure that they understand the concept being taught. The approach should be, ‘looks like you are struggling, lets work it out together’ rather than ‘you got it wrong’.
It’s difficult to get the students to talk about their problematic areas, but it will be easier when they consider you one of the team members. Working alongside students to help them achieve success is not just limited to student-teacher relationship; the student-student relationship works equally well. Since the teacher sets the tone of classroom, s/he is responsible to establish trust and an attitude in students that mistakes are opportunities for positive change.
We are used to associating failure and mistakes with self-worth, representing a fixed mindset. As a result we fail to recognize mistakes as part of learning process that encourages improvement. Mistake is an example of growth mindset. We forget that every student is different and that no one is an utter failure; each has unique qualities and strengths. It’s our job to bring forward their unique qualities. Instead of focusing on the negative, encourage children to view mistakes as opportunities for learning. Changing perceptions about mistakes, as a tool to evaluate poor performance, is the way to learn from mistakes.
Teachers encourage students, both formally and informally, not to make mistakes. I find this weird because I think mistakes are an indication that a child is trying. If they don’t try, they don’t make mistakes. I for one have personally learned a lot from my mistakes. I believe mistakes make us wiser. You might be thinking I am crazy, but look back and reflect on your past and you too will acknowledge that I am not that crazy, after all. We do learn from our mistakes and it is a sure way to know that we have converted those opportunities where we erred into learning opportunities.
I remember watching GI Joe, a cartoon television series for children, during the mid 1980s while in the US with my kids. Every episode of the GI Joe cartoon ended with the message, ‘Now I know! And knowing is half the battle won’ from a member (or two) of GI Joe team. It showed children doing something wrong and the team members advise the children to correct the mistake. I, for a long time, took the phrase just as something catchy for the kids and did not realize that it was a case of converting mistakes into learning opportunities. No doubt it was catchy but my children developed a habit of looking at mistakes as a learning experience.
Finally, mistakes need to be considered as motivation to do better and the trick to success is finding value in mistakes. I for one would love to see a sign on entrance to every school that says, “Everyone who enters here will learn”. Considering the overall scenario, it sure looks like it is a mistake not to use mistakes as part of the learning process.
Learning, not being afraid to examine mistakes, encourages students to think in ways to convert those mistakes into learning opportunities and use these mistakes to learn from, to improve, and to feel good about individual progress. I am sure you all are doing it already. If not; give it a try. Think about it the next time you encounter your child making a mistake and convert that into an opportunity to learn for the child.
usha@pokharel.net
