Failure & Growth Mindset
EVIDENCE OF DEEPER LEARNING
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Think about the courses and exams your students encounter. How many of these truly celebrate perseverance, that unyielding spirit to keep trying despite setbacks? How many encourage students to embark on bold, daring endeavors, even if there's a chance they might fail? Imagine a classroom where taking risks is not just allowed, but celebrated. Where the journey of trying and failing is seen as a badge of honor, a testament to the courageous heart of a learner. Success should not just be about the right answer; it should be about the process, the tenacity, and the invaluable lessons learned in those moments of trying and sometimes stumbling.
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How could you shift your own mindset to seeing failure as a win? How do we develop a mindset in students that is focused on waypoints of progress, rather than single moments of “achievement”?
How can you normalize failure, growth, and perseverance in your classroom?
What grading and assessment practices would support a positive, productive response to failure? How might feedback be restructured to shift the focus to continuous improvement?
Should we intentionally create opportunities as early as elementary school, for students to fail?
What kinds of things can teachers do (or stop doing) to encourage students to continue working to improve after a first attempt?
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Check out the following resources:
WATCH: EL Education‘s ‘Austin’s Butterfly - Building Excellence in Student Work’
READ: “Effective Feedback for Deeper Learning” - Actively Learn
WATCH: “Descriptive Feedback Techniques Part 1 with Rick Wormeli”