Fourth grade families,
Today in class, we had a great discussion about failure and the importance of having a growth mindset. Too often, we do what is comfortable for us to avoid failure. What we don't realize is that avoiding failure is keeping us from growing. So, as a class, we took some time today to be open and honest about times when we tried something new and totally crashed and burned! The students thought it was funny at first because celebrating failure isn't something any of us are terribly comfortable with. By the end of the discussion, however, they were starting to see the value of challenging themselves to be uncomfortable so they could find the sweet spot where they could grow to their fullest potential!
We also talked about the difference between saying, "I can't do this" and saying "I can't do this YET." Most people aren't amazing at things the first time they try them, or the first time they learn them. It is the work you put in that determines your path. I am going to work hard to change the way students talk to themselves this year. No more telling themselves they can't do something... they just can't do it yet!
As a result of this discussion, I challenged them at lunch to do something totally outside of their comfort zone. Maybe it was trying a game they'd never played before or reaching out to someone they had never played with. After recess, they shared a little about what they tried and what they learned from it. It was awesome and they found it so powerful!
As we progress through the fourth grade, I also have a job for you! Please allow your children opportunities to be uncomfortable, to challenge their thinking and to fail. I promise the rewards are worth the moment of discomfort!
How about you? Anyone out there want to comment below and share a moment that was uncomfortable for them? A time when you totally failed and what you learned as a result? How did it help you grow?
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ReplyDeleteAshley- I think this is great! I appreciate you talking about this and teaching it to the class. It truly is an important life skill. Being able to be vulnerable at times, knowing whether it is healthy vs. unhealthy is something I've recently learned myself over this year. Even though I may not have been so great myself, Dallas and I have tried our hardest teaching healthy behavior with Koral. She can get upset when playing games(if something isn't fair, or her loosing), her boredom can get the best of her as well. If Koral is bored she will not put out her best effort. She used to get upset with her artwork, if it wasn't perfect she'd crumple it up and get upset, now she knows to take her time, go slow and put her heart into it. I like the optimism in this lesson!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I agree that being vulnerable is so important, even though it's hard. We'll continue to work hard establishing a safe environment to take risks and grow ourselves this year! I'm glad that Koral is hearing the message at home too. :)
DeleteAshley- I think it is great that you teach kids to think about failure in a positive way. Many if not most adults are afraid of failure because we are typically taught that success is about winning and achievement. I have been telling Anya that it's ok to mess up as long as she learns from her mistakes. So now, every time she makes a mess or breaks something, she says to me: "Mommy, no one is perfect. It's ok to make mistakes."
ReplyDeleteThank you! I agree with you that many adults still struggle with failure because I am one of them! I have to push myself into uncomfortable places sometimes so that I can grow myself and I'm sharing those stories with the students so they can learn to do that much earlier than I did! I'm glad to hear that Anya seems to already understand this. :)
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