In the olden days, teachers and parents thought that by drilling children over and over again with the same question, they would eventually remember the answer. Even little children were taught to learn facts off by heart.
People thought that if children were allowed to make mistakes, they would not learn the correct information.
This is not the truth!
Research has found that learning is better and easier when children make mistakes!
Making mistakes is how kids are challenged to learn to do things differently and try new things. It is part of having a growth mindset.
Here are some ways to help children to learn that it is OK to make mistakes and not be scared of making mistakes.
1. Encourage healthy risk-taking. Talk to children about trying new things outside their comfort zone while providing them with support to make sure they stay safe.
2. Praise effort and character rather than just the result. Don't focus on what the child gets right all the time. Celebrate their courage and persistence for trying something new or staying focused until their job was done.
3. Let children know that mistakes are normal and an important part of learning. Let them know that it is not only okay to make mistakes, they can make you wiser. Ask the child what the mistake taught them.
4. Share your mistakes with children. You can share mistakes you made when you were younger, how you handled them, and what the mistakes taught you.
5. Teach them to look forward. Teach children that the mistake isn’t the end, it’s the beginning of learning. Help them brainstorm different ways of fixing a mistake. Ask “What are you going to do?"
TASK 1: When have you made a mistake. Tell your coach or mum about it. How did it make you feel? Were you able to fix the mistake? How did you fix it? How did that make you feel?
TASK 2: Write a poem about making mistakes for the children. What would you say to them to let them know it is OK to make mistakes?
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