Hooray for mistakes!!!!!!

   Mistakes have a negative reputation.  What if we celebrated mistakes? To make a mistake means you took a risk and put yourself out there regardless of the possibility of being wrong.  If none of us ever made mistakes, there would be no need for teachers.  "Great - you made a mistake.  I applaud you for trying and here is how you find the correct answer."  Your students would freak out! (Mine did).  But, you would have their attention and isn't that what this is all about - getting the students to listen?  We need to praise mistakes and embrace them as a part of learning.  It's a teachable moment only if students don't feel bad about being wrong.  If that happens, teachers are being bullies and that is never productive.  I don't think making someone feel stupid has ever improved their learning.

  There is another side to this.  We have been made to feel that if students aren't learning, it is definitely the teacher's fault.  If a student makes a mistake, is it a reflection of the teaching that's occurred?  Maybe but maybe not.  Teaching is not a recipe.   You don't add a teacher, 20 students, books and a classroom and - abracadabra!  Knowledge is gained!!!!  There are many variables involved in a classroom experience.  Many of these a teacher has no control over - the student's lack of sleep, poor diet, chaotic home life.  This can be very frustrating for  teachers - we put our best stuff out there and learning doesn't happen!!!  Teachers are constantly evaluating themselves as to whether a lesson "worked" or not.  So, try something different.  Celebrate mistakes and see what happens!  At the very least, you'll get their attention.  Hip, hip hooray for ..... MISTAKES!