Failure first, shame second.

We crawl before we walk, and usually our first attempt to walk is not when our first step occurs.  I recently watched a child try to take their first step.  She tried and fell.  The parents congratulated her and started to cheer.  This made me question my own values when it comes to failure in my class.

Many times I have heard “Failure is not an option”.  We need to, as a society, realize that failure is not a derogatory word.  The English thesaurus claims that synonyms to failure are, “Breakdown”, “Disappointment”, and “closure”, while “success” is the antonym. 

This disappointments me greatly.  If you are scared of failure then you will NEVER try anything new.  We need to embrace failure and realize that if you are unsuccessful at something true learning can occur.  To believe that everyone will succeed at every game, task, or job they try is ludicrous.

Most conventional teaching methods empower failure by deducting marks, lower grades, and teaching students that when success is not met you will be judged accordingly.  In my classes, I empower students by allowing them take chances, to fail, and then reason as to why their method was not correct. 

So why does society treat failure with such disgust?  I believe the root is “shame”.  In my career, I have seen students who are scared to take chances, due to the possibility of embarrassment.  If you administer exams in you class, watch the face of the student when you hand back an exam that is a failing grade.  Almost every time this student will lower his/her head and either crumple the exam up or hide it immediately.  Is learning from failure really occurring? I think not.  This perpetuation must stop!

Classes should be a safe environment where students are allowed to be vulnerable, where shame is left at the door and failure is a learning word not a derogatory one.   

Support first, learned helplessness second

Few years ago when a student had a question in my class, I would tell them the answer.  Telling answers, providing solutions, and informing students was the way I would teach.  Recently I have realized, as a true educator, I should not be telling, providing, or informing, but in fact facilitating learners in my class.  I no longer want to be an instructor of information, but in fact a facilitator of education.

When we, as teachers, grab the pencil/pen from the students’ hands, or complete a task for a student we are perpetuating a single idea; “Learned helplessness”.  Learned helplessness is defined as:

a condition wherein a person believes that no matter how hard he or she tries, failure will result.

This condition is being enhanced by environments were tasks are completed for students.  Some educators will say “finishing the questions for the students need to be done, due to time constraints”.  However, constantly “finishing questions” is creating a condition in the students’ mind that they are incapable of thinking on their own.  They will start to actually believe that there are inadequate to achieve success in certain areas. 

This, unfortunately, will result with students becoming reluctant or even scared to complete challenging tasks.  To some, learned helplessness will appear as being lazy, or bored, but I truly believe that students crave reasonable expectations from others, and want to live up to these expectations.  Saying that, if we have great expectations from students we will witness great things, but if our expectations are low then consequently little learning will result.

Here are several tips for combating learned helplessness:

·         set high expectations for your students

·         let your students know that you see them as capable individuals

·         encourage your students to try it on their own

·         provide multiple opportunities for student trials

·         positively reinforce the student's efforts

·         if completing the entire task is not a possibility, encourage the student to complete the parts that he or she can do

·         encourage the student to try a bit more with each success

·         if you must complete a task due to time constraints, let the student know that he or she will be expected to do the task when time is not an issue

·         allow your students to see you struggle with a difficult task

Students need to be challenged, empowered, and congratulated, but not told, informed, or provided with answers.  Once students have the support, learned helplessness will be abolished.