#EDthink Archive
Run by Texas educators Aaron Peña and Mandy Vasek, #EDThink is a great way for dynamic educators to share teaching strategies, educational resources, and more.
Sunday February 28, 2016
Sabrina McClard, Principal, TN
Jaymie from Katy, TX 3rd grade ELA teacher
Hi I'm Aaron, a principal in TX. Tonight's chat is about Failure & its role in learning.
Justin, 5th Grade Math & Science Teacher, Frederick, Maryland.
Julia from KY special education – My 1st chat. Thanks for the invite!
I'm Joelee, a preservice El Ed and Special Ed teacher at Grove City College in PA
Jessica. instructional coach from Waco
Hi everyone! Emily from TN. First time joining Happy to be here.
I am co-mod. for and admin for Elem.
Aaron, principal in Saskatchewan, Canada.
Shannon, Student Support Teacher from Saskatchewan, Canada.
Velia , admin from Ontario
Elizabeth. Math teacher in Los Angeles
Elijah Gersims, Secondary ed. History, freshman, Grove City college!
Hi! I'm Jason, a Teacher Candidate from Saskatchewan,Canada!
Cody. 1st Grade Teacher from Kansas.
Good evening, I'm Irene from NJ I teach writing, speaking and reading to ELLs at a community college
chats are interactive. We encourage you to engage your fellow in conversation.
Hi all. Oskar, science and engineering teacher from MN
Michelle from Michigan. I am happy to be here and learn!
Joanne from Missouri. 7th world history and 11th modern global issues.
Kathleen Lewis for California Virtual Academies
Hi everyone...Jen, reading coach and learning team facilitator from FL joining in!
Q1: Let's start by sharing some fav quotes or memes about FAILURE.
hi Jennifer! Welcome to https://t.co/IdFZkQIunc
Hi everyone...Jen, reading coach and learning team facilitator from FL joining in!
Hi Joanne! Welcome to https://t.co/W8B93eQ3Ht
Joanne from Missouri. 7th world history and 11th modern global issues.
A1) “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” - Winston Churchill
I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed. - Michael Jordan
A1 Julia, these are the stories we nee to share with our Ss.
Q1- “It is impossible to live without failing at something..."
So true! Ss need to understand the hard work behind success.
"...unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all..."
Growth mindset always wins!
Q1(Cont) " in which case, you fail by default.” -JK Rowling.
A1- Failure means you just haven't been successful yet and Failure isn't a dead end it is a detour.
Very true! It teaches us how to be resilient at times. https://t.co/XrFgf818vf
Q1- “It is impossible to live without failing at something..."
Failure is the only option on the road to success
Hi all, Sydney from Canada
Good evening. Steve physical education from NJ
Q2: How can FAILURE be an enemy of learning? How can this be avoided?
So true, learning is a process!
The power of "yet" changes a mindset, and is sparking a movement.
A2) Students can HATE the feeling of failure, so never want to try as to not repeat the dreaded feeling...
A2) Some students think that if they fail once, they'll always fail. They must realize one failure doesn't define their life.
Failure can be an enemy of learning if you don't have the support of your teachers
Incredible conversation about FAILURE & LEARNIG going on right now. Join us on !
A2: Failure without CORRECTION or change is enemy of lrng. Have to change direction, new plan of action to succeed.
A2. Failure= enemy when seen as the end. Ts need to encourage Ss to see failure as 1 step in the learning process & keep going.
A2: It's easy for Ss (and Ts) to become discouraged by repeated failure. But keeping a growth mindset and recognizing success helps
Failure is only the enemy when we give up. We must create an env. where Ss know failure leads to success. https://t.co/1JC6jIQkCI
Q2: How can FAILURE be an enemy of learning? How can this be avoided?
As educators we need to find ways to remove the stigma of failure.
A2: I think we need a mind shift. Ss need to understand it's a learning experience - a place from which to grow.
those "dendrites are at work!" struggle, wrestle and LEARN!
A2: Failure can become a huge barrier of discouragement without the right level of support and scaffolding.
A2 Failure stunts growth if looked at as a finite step
I think Failure can be an enemy of learning if what is being learned is divorced from the reality of the learner.
A2: when we just move on when Ss doesn't understand something, we send the message that speed is more important than learning
Do we make it too easy? expectations high enough? Student-centered? Ss need to know we believe in them. https://t.co/4PMwz1xvjC
A2: Failure is the enemy of learning when Ss see failure as “final” & do not allow themselves room to make mistakes while learning.
A2:When there is no feedback on how to learn and grow for Ss, or Ts, when the mindset is fixed, when there's no support
Q2(cont) I think this can be avoided by building relationships and being aware of where that learner is at.
A2 Fear of failure. Tell students stories of personal failure and how you overcame.... Make it okay - it is not final. Learning opp
A2: Failures can become exhausting for Ss. Look for little victories & celebrate them. Praise growth not perfection
A2- S fear failure when they learn it is negative..T can show S that failure essential to process & emphasize effort and progress
I had a T in HS that saw my failure as a stepping stone to not being successful in college. I proved her incorrect.
YES! Ss need to have examples of when failure wasn't the end of the story.
A2: Where are you at and how can I help you get there?
A2 The word has an historical negativity which is hard to overcome. We need to change the narrative and our practice.
These are really good. I shared the first 2 episodes with my fourth graders last week.
A2: We must prepare our Ss for failure, then help them to plan for and work past the hurdles that get in their way as they come.
A2 We have to model our own mental process when we fail. Be transparent with Ss. They need to see failing as a path to success.
In our school non-mastery of an assessment is the tool we use to reteach the S.
We teach this to our S from day 1
It is so important to model or share personal failures w/ Ss. I did that this week with learning the Rubik's cube.
yes! It does not matter how fast you go as long as you do not stop
A2:When failure is seen as the end it stands in the way of lng. Ss need to learn to see mistakes as building blocks not road blocks
A2: Failure has grown out of a negative connotation...we are having to change mindsets to think more process than endpoint
Encouragement/Support can lead to victorious outcomes https://t.co/PfNfrZr4Zs
Failure can be an enemy of learning if you don't have the support of your teachers
Q3- My experience in the classroom has mostly been in primary years but I think this issue may be due to the fact
Don't forget to grow your with your fellow here tonight!
Glad to hear she was wrong & you achieved your goals. It's hard for a S to keep pressing forward without encouragement.
Make mistakes, model making mistakes with your Ss and Ts, model overcoming and perserverence https://t.co/I5luRfZ0si
Q3(cont) Ss are aware of how they learn and many subjects in secondary aren't represented in an interdisciplinary way.
Q3: Many Ss enter school w/ a growth mindset then leave with a fixed mindset. Why?
https://t.co/n5NrfDGHIs Day for Failure is an international celebration of failure which takes place on October 13th.
Their growth has been "stunted"!!
Yes, process over product. This will benefit S! Focus on how we become successful, not what was successful
Providing the right reinforcement and feedback will support Ss with taking risks.
Ss should keep eyes fixed on the goal at the end, but realize falling off & getting back up IS the process. https://t.co/8Km2T9aFI7
A2 Failure stunts growth if looked at as a finite step
Keep on going, there are a total of 5! SHare with your admin, tell the school
A3: I think sometimes schools expect kids to conform to them, when in fact they should be conforming to kids.
A2: An enemy by letting students be afraid. Can be avoided by showing students that failure is a normal part of life!
A3: Constantly being given a letter grade that shows them their worth or being designated as "smart" or "dumb"
A3. FM develops when Ss are removed from the learning process. Ss need choices in their learning not just sit & get.
A3) Continuing from A2, they fall into a rut where if they fail once, they believe they'll always fail . . .
A2 show Ss how they learn from mistakes, show how we learn from mistakes,and how these corrections build on our intelligence
A3: Ss leave due to canned curr, over testing. Need auth opp to learn on daily basis. Grow thru active lrng https://t.co/BfMJZvCupt
Q3: Many Ss enter school w/ a growth mindset then leave with a fixed mindset. Why?
It has been stunted for so many reasons. How do you overcome those reasons?
Yes - I tell my kids - you are more than a number (or letter)! <3
Ss will encounter teachers with a closed mind. Failure is an F. Not the beginning of a path to mastery.
A3 I hope that is not the case... Grades? Testing? Traditional way of teaching/learning?
A3: Letter grades squash a growth mindset. Just a fact. This is why so many school districts are transitioning out of them.
A3: Assigning zeros and letting failure be final leads to fixed mindsets. https://t.co/EOnD8iuR6e
Q3: Many Ss enter school w/ a growth mindset then leave with a fixed mindset. Why?
A3: Lots of factors: grades, standardized testing, Ts/Ps focusing more on end product vs process of learning, lack of mindset curr.
So true, Bethany! https://t.co/22uLZMQgqV
A3: Letter grades squash a growth mindset. Just a fact. This is why so many school districts are transitioning out of them.
A3: Often we focus too much on products/achievements, we should focus more on the learning process (failures/mistakes included)
A3: Too often the learning process is not honored much or at all; it is more about an end product. SMH...
A3: Ss get the the wrong kind of praise and Ts don't celebrate the process nearly as much as the product. Both matter!
Celebrating even small victories can lead 2 great changes in how Ss perceive themselves & their actions. https://t.co/BPufwBCGl9
A2: Failures can become exhausting for Ss. Look for little victories & celebrate them. Praise growth not perfection
the students need to know we believe in them!
government's current obsession with testing can be so harmful! :(
A3 Ts expecting students to act as "adults" not taking into account development. Not meeting them where they are at
Hey friends. Sorry I'm missing tonight. Just got in from out of town. Have a great chat and week!
A3: Lots of factors: TIME, standardized testing, lack of teacher input, etc..
A3: My 1st year in a testing grade - breaks my heart to have them sit for so long and get so stressed out over these tests!
A3: Too much emphasis on homework and responsibility and not enough on supporting the whole child.
Very true. We may be the only person in their life that believes in them!
A3- S learn that they are compared w/ others that are "smarter" & S become discouraged if they believe they cannot get smart too
Q3:Too often the learning journey isn't celebrated and enjoyed. Way too rushed, kids get lost. Slow down and embrace the journey
Ts feel pressured to move students to the end of the lesson, more than the pressure to achieve mastery.
Agreed. Ss don't get the impression they can make mistakes or fail when learning is centered on the Ts thinking.
they rely on us everyday!
A3 because of the grading system,
A culture of learning instead of a culture of earning. This is what our focus should be!!
Q4: For some FAILURE is a motivator. Why? How can this be expanded to others?
A3: Ss are curious when they start school. When we focus more on the right/wrong instead of the learning, we get a fixed mindset.
Mic Drop!!!!!! https://t.co/CoCXxRsVaM
A culture of learning instead of a culture of earning. This is what our focus should be!!
Shift the Ss mindset to acknowledge what they did know; and how I can assist them in learning what they didn't understand
A3 They see themselves compared to others. And they don't think they measure up.
I am 100% in agreement with squashing the traditional letter and number grades. https://t.co/2upQCmwfGh
A3: Letter grades squash a growth mindset. Just a fact. This is why so many school districts are transitioning out of them.
Perfectly said!! YES! https://t.co/mThye50L38
A culture of learning instead of a culture of earning. This is what our focus should be!!
A4: Failure pushes me to grow..it hurts...but it lets me know I can do more...We have to help Ss understand what they're feeling
A4. Failure = chance do better next time. Ss need models of adults/peers who have failed only to find success in the end.
A4: Thru failure I have learned what doesn't work. I can move fwd w/ plan B, C, D. Learning opportunities https://t.co/Nph25cy0J1
Q4: For some FAILURE is a motivator. Why? How can this be expanded to others?
A4) I think that some people easily realize that they learn from mistakes and others don't understand that quite as quickly.
A4) by showing examples of how failure helped those other individuals then succeed!
Aaron...I believe this is true, too. The learning is in doing and not always the actual outcome. https://t.co/JzhpXzCXpY
A3: Often we focus too much on products/achievements, we should focus more on the learning process (failures/mistakes included)
Schools can be curriculum-focused instead of learner-focused. We need to focus on needs of each learner. https://t.co/XYUi2sbkTc
Q3: Many Ss enter school w/ a growth mindset then leave with a fixed mindset. Why?
A4: they see it as a temporary roadblock, instead of the end of the road. Ss should be encouraged to see failure as overcomable
Ss and Ts that look at failure as an opportunity to explore differentiated learning are motivated. Replace F with not mastered
A4: These Ss have a growth mindset, they see past the stigmas of failure & see the value of each failure in the learning process.
A4: Failure is a motivator for those that are intrinsically motivated. Others have to be shown how failure is just temporary.
A3:Too much focus on end result rather than the learning process. Build students up don't tear them down by what they can/can't do!
DIFFERENTIATION! That's where it's at! :) Thanks, https://t.co/gTj06d15v5
A3 Ts expecting students to act as "adults" not taking into account development. Not meeting them where they are at
A4- Failure motivates some to keep trying. Persistence is so impt to model & praise. S need to know that fast doesn't mean better!
A4 Failure is a part of sports. Maybe we need to use a few analogies.
We'll miss you tonight. https://t.co/4XY6tQbq5S
Hey friends. Sorry I'm missing tonight. Just got in from out of town. Have a great chat and week!
A3: Agreed about letter grades. It becomes a challenge to reverse a child's self-esteem after getting started on the wrong foot.
Sports can be a powerful teacher of life lessons! https://t.co/61dOvNZzFB
A4 Failure is a part of sports. Maybe we need to use a few analogies.
I agree... we are teaching children...not race cars or speed boats. https://t.co/neqWzR6hPG
Q3:Too often the learning journey isn't celebrated and enjoyed. Way too rushed, kids get lost. Slow down and embrace the journey
A4: Important to have support that picks you up, dusts you off, encourages you to tweak it & try again. Model perseverance to Ss
Catch you next time, Russell! Have a great week! https://t.co/tSIm5N2rht
Hey friends. Sorry I'm missing tonight. Just got in from out of town. Have a great chat and week!
A4 Failure can spur creativity in those with a growth mindset
Persistence is important very important and needs to be modeled to Ss because it may not come from home.
I think this depends on one's relationship with failure. Some ss may see this as a change to actually pursue what they want.
Yes! An athlete improves by practicing
Big problem... https://t.co/zWEUXqKlJ1
Agreed. Ss don't get the impression they can make mistakes or fail when learning is centered on the Ts thinking.
A4: Failure and mistakes can foster persistence and resilience in kids if we create the right conditions for honoring the process!
Model how we learn through failure
A4: Failure is a motivator when the process of learning is valued more than the end product or grade.
Our Ss need more opportunities for creativity in the classroom and school environment.
Great point, Jason. Our outlook has a lot to do with our mindset. https://t.co/A9pciW2wBk
I think this depends on one's relationship with failure. Some ss may see this as a change to actually pursue what they want.
Q4(cont) When SS fail, they are able to self actualize and reflect about how they want to move forward.
A4 Failure builds perseverance. If you keep at it success is inevitable. We need to help our students understand that
A4:Failure is a motivator when Ss have adults who help them see how to learn from it & coaches & guides them through the process.
Q5: Too little opportunity 4 FAILURE = no challenge. Too much FAILURE = discouragement. How can Ts &/or parents balance this 4 Ss?
A4 failure is the essence of learning
boy howdy you're right. How many times do we teach to the test?
A4: Motivated to try harder to succeed next time. Need to show Ss the rewards in learning from mistakes to succeed.
Agreed! We are also helping Ps see failure for what it is because they were not raised this way. https://t.co/6A9DSxnauO
A4:Failure is a motivator when Ss have adults who help them see how to learn from it & coaches & guides them through the process.
A5: The balance comes in knowing your kids/staff. We focus on strengths based learning and that can help provide the balance.
Transparency and telling about others' stories will go a long way with our Ss. https://t.co/vzLy47nhuU
A4) by showing examples of how failure helped those other individuals then succeed!
A5. Let Ss find their sweet spot. Projects like let Ss to explore & learn in a safe environment. Let Ss lead learning.
A5: know your kids! Know their strengths, their weaknesses - know what/how much they are able to handle
I agree, Sabrina! https://t.co/Opa6HwBFyL
A4: Failure is a motivator for those that are intrinsically motivated. Others have to be shown how failure is just temporary.
A5: Making sure Ss are in their ZPD means they will struggle but also have opportunities for frequent success.
Our curr. gives a 5 question assessment after each lesson. Questions not mastered are reviewed and retaken in real time.
A5: We need to avoid teaching to the middle.
late but happy to see all the growth mindset talk!Shared this cute video with our Ts, great for younger Ls https://t.co/vrfeXoEVRZ
A5) It's hard to find that balance, but I think that even asking the Ss would help with making sure there's just enough challenge.
A5 We need to plan for success and support the process.
A5: Differentiated lrng should be balanced. Ss able to find what challenges them w/o absolute failure.
knowing your students is key to most things in the classroom! :)
A5: Providing an environment where modeling is practiced daily for Ss and families. Provide info nights for families.
A5:Through goal setting we can teach Ss to aim high, yet show them how to revise and recalculate their learning along the way.
A5: This one is tricky! Looking forward to seeing your thoughts... Get to know Ss strengths & weaknesses. Differentiate.
A5 We have to be careful in monitoring the frustration levels in our students. Push them to the edge, but not off the edge
A5- This is why it it is so impt to know your S! Know when your S can use a push & when you need to pull back & celebrate progress
A5) It's putting the pressure on us to know and understand our students!
The challenge has to be within Ss grasp or we are setting them up for failure that they can't overcome.
A5: The key is knowing our Ss...knowing how hard to push and when to give extra support...know the whole child
Yes! Ss can and should be involved in the learning! https://t.co/yO1IXS6dJe
A5) It's hard to find that balance, but I think that even asking the Ss would help with making sure there's just enough challenge.
Relationships help move toward achievement even after many failures. We thrive when someone has our back! https://t.co/MvvTqkeikg
A3:Too much focus on end result rather than the learning process. Build students up don't tear them down by what they can/can't do!
so many great resources for growth mindset in math on website!
Great ideas and perspectives on tonight's !
A5: We must find out how both success & failure affects each of our Ss, then support them to use failure to build future success.
Q6: How has this chat on FAILURE & LEARNING encouraged you?
Q5- This sounds hard. I think maybe having differentiated methods of assessment? This is certain to challenge some and...
A5 Want 2 collect data on how children are learning? Know em. Watch em. Listen to em. Talk *with* em. Sit with em. Be with em- JoeB
Q5(cont) ... and allow others to show their skills.
A5 I think it starts with the environment the teacher builds within his/her classroom.
A5-Knowing Ss strengths & challenges & providing feedback and proper support to encourage children to try even when it's hard.
A6: I have gotten some great thoughts and things to discuss with colleagues to move towards a growth mindset in our school.
It's encouraged me to go share with my class tomorrow that it's OK to mess up! Failure is learning!
A6: hearing so many educators focusing on growth mindset and encouraging their Ss is so uplifting for me, as a future educator!
Goal setting, self-evaluation, communication with feeedback helps keep Ss moving on the path to success https://t.co/6yAoe8mLWv
A5:Through goal setting we can teach Ss to aim high, yet show them how to revise and recalculate their learning along the way.
A6: Know ur Ss, diff inst for them, tell them abt ur failures, show them how you overcame. https://t.co/eqgTJN3YsU
Q6: How has this chat on FAILURE & LEARNING encouraged you?
A6. I need to verbalize and model the importance of failure to my Ss. Let them know they are safe to make mistakes in my classroom.
Q6: It has helped me think about my word for 2016 & to continue to discovery ways to show my Ss that failure is not a bad thing.
Good point, Oscar! https://t.co/kcC0RBt8Oo
A5 We have to be careful in monitoring the frustration levels in our students. Push them to the edge, but not off the edge
Q6- I'm not that confident in letting kids make mistakes but it's comforting to know that others experience this challenge.
A6:It's reminding me to talk to my students more about my own experiences with failure
A6: Great reminder that I don't have to hide imperfections and mistakes. Transparence of learning and growing is best!
I will continue to work on creating a culture of learning where not-mastered means another opportunity to learn and master
A6: It's made me stop and think abt the amount of support I need to give to Ts as they encourage their Ss to be okay w/failure
A6) It's SUPER encouraging to know that educators know so much about failure and how to overcome it!
A5: Know your Ss! Know their strengths and weaknesses and how far to push them! Learner focused = success
A6cont: . Need to share w/ Ts to share w/ Ss.
This was one of Joe Bower's last tweets
Keys to being a successful educator. I would add support em outside of the classroom as well if possible.
A6 It has encouraged me to work even harder to find ways to help my students move beyond failure to success.
Q6: It's reminded me how important it is encourage Ss for pushing toward goal, even if it takes a few different paths to get there
Thanks everyone for joining us this week! Great conversation. Enjoy this week... you will never get it back!
Thanks for joining tonight. I hope you have many opportunities to impact Ss lives this week for the better!
A6- I realize how impt it is for Elem T's to foster a growth mindset in S to build momentum for MS and HS!
A6: An an instructional coach, I have new q's: How is your class encouraging a growth mindset & valuing the process of learning?
A6: To never give up when failure occurs. Failure is a part of learning and will only make us more successful in the end!
Thanks for welcoming me to chat!
A6 Ss need to know that we Tt make mistakes and we should tell them. Maybe they won't be so afraid to take risks
A6: I'm encouraged to help our Ss see the value/power of failure as we work to help them build a growth/learning mindset.
A6 It reminded me to be mindful of who my Ss are and where they are. To be sensitive. Push, stretch, encourage, empower them
Thank you and for another great chat!
Thanks for the encouragement, friends! Have a great week!
thank you for the learning! Great thinking shared, as always! Embrace the journey this week! Love those Ss!
It is important to help their families see the value/power of failure as well.
You're a part of our team, Michelle! https://t.co/6gzKsEwJ5j
thank you for the learning! Great thinking shared, as always! Embrace the journey this week! Love those Ss!
Love the topics for great community!
A6 talk about failure as part of learning process/life. Promote risk taking. Unless your life's in danger, fear is just an illusion
Definitely!! Embracing mistakes. Great way to help yourself and students grow.
Thank you all for allowing me to learn with you!
A6-I'm encouraged to work with both Ss & Staff to see that we can learn from failure if we take time to reflect & grow from it.
Thanks for such a fantastic chat tonight and
Very true. We need parents to value mistakes just as much as students so they can support the learning process.
