Friday, February 15, 2013

Reflections on "Failure is Mandatory: Creating a Culture of Innovation"

I feel like we've heard a lot recently about how students have to learn how to fail. In fact, if memory serves me right, our school just sponsored a parent forum on the topic. This article reminds us that we teachers have to learn how to fail as well--especially when experimenting with new technologies.

Two specific takeaways occur to me beyond what appears in the article:

(1) It's okay to assign students to use technologies we're not expert in ourselves. Excited about the possibilities for a new technology? Have the kids figure it out, and let them teach you. Many heads are better than one. You’ll be “crowdsourcing”: it’s all the rage!

(2) It’s okay to experiment in class—as long as there’s a “Plan B.” It’s not just okay for kids to see us fail: it’s healthy. As much as we want to be in control, we shouldn’t want them to see us as wizards. Let them know you’re experimenting, and ask for their feedback. You’ll develop your practice while modeling risk-taking and innovation.

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