A New Definition for FAIL

I've written and talked a lot about failure. When I say a lot, I mean A LOT! I guess it is because it is my quest in life to share with people that failure is okay and is the only way to grow as an individual. It scares me sometimes that we are teaching our young people to get it right the first time and that we shelter them from the learning and growing that comes along with failing. With that, I challenge you all to join me in spreading the word on failure and what it truly means.

What do we as educators need to do to change the perception of failure?

• Inform our students that through failure, they can learn to be successful.
• DO NOT let a student be okay with failing. Instead, make them work to learn from it.
• Understand that grades are not a motivator for at-risk students. If they have a report card full of F's, is one more really going to get them fired up and motivated to succeed?
• Stop grading practices that do not let students learn from their mistakes. You can place a zero in the gradebook, but let students know that they can go back and have it changed at any time. If the work was important enough for you to assign, the essential learning is important enough for you to grade. Give this grading a try and call note it in your gradebook as an F+
• Don't hide behind the statement that you are preparing them for life in the "real world" because in reality, the "real world" allows for make-ups and do-overs as well.
• Stop perpetuating the myth that failure is bad. Instead, start sending the message that failure is a natural part of the learning process.
• Stop perpetuating the myth that failure is bad. Instead, start sending the message that failure is a natural part of the learning process.
• DO NOT let your child be okay with failing. Instead, make them work to learn from it.
• Don't bail your children out of every situation. Work with your child's teachers and be a part of the solution. If your child is in high school, start working with your child to help them advocate for themselves.
• Share with your children about failures your experienced in your own life and how you have overcome them.
• Expect your child to fail and when they do, love and nurture them, wipe away the tears, and then coach them up on how they can learn from the failure.

In order for us to really help ALL of our children, we all need to be on board with this. It truly takes a village to raise children and we cannot deny them opportunities to learn from failures. Get the word out that failure is okay and should be encouraged as long as our kids know that they need to learn from it and not just accept it.