So often failure is often viewed as a negative outcome and a deterrent to academic success. However, a growing body of research suggests that failure can have significant effects on students, and some of it is actually positive.
Emotional and Psychological Impact of Failure Failure can have a profound emotional and psychological impact on students and their parents. At first it may lead to negative emotions like disappointment, frustration, and low self-esteem but research indicates that these adverse effects can be temporary and may serve as a catalyst for growth and resilience. Failure experiences can influence students' beliefs about intelligence and abilities. Students who view failure as a reflection of their fixed intelligence tend to adopt a "helpless" mindset and may be less likely to bounce back from setbacks. However, students who perceive failure as a temporary setback and view their abilities as malleable tend to demonstrate greater resilience and a willingness to persist. Promoting a Growth Mindset Failure can play a pivotal role in cultivating a growth mindset, a belief that intelligence and abilities can be developed through effort and dedication. One study found that students who were exposed to failure and subsequently taught about the malleability of intelligence displayed increased motivation, effort, and academic performance compared to their peers who were not exposed to failure. Failure experiences may also enhance metacognitive skills, such as self-reflection, goal setting, and self-regulation. When students analyze their failures, they gain insights into their strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to adjust their learning strategies and set realistic goals. These skills are vital for long-term success, as they contribute to self-directed learning and the development of effective problem-solving strategies. Fostering Resilience and Perseverance Resilience, the ability to bounce back from failure and adversity, is a valuable attribute for academic success and personal growth. Experiencing failure provides students with opportunities to develop resilience by learning from their mistakes, adapting their approaches, and persisting in the face of challenges. Another study explored the relationship between academic resilience and failure among middle school students. The findings revealed that students who encountered failure but possessed higher levels of resilience were more likely to achieve academic success compared to those with lower levels of resilience. This suggests that failure can serve as a catalyst for the development of resilience and the cultivation of a "never give up" attitude. Fostering Critical Thinking and Creativity Failure encourages students to think critically and approach problems from different angles. One study found that failure experiences led to higher levels of creativity, as students were pushed to explore alternative approaches and think outside the box. This suggests that failure can stimulate divergent thinking, leading to innovative solutions and new perspectives. When students experience setbacks, they are often required to reevaluate their strategies, identify weaknesses, and generate new ideas. This process fosters both creative thinking and problem-solving skills. The Importance of a Supportive Environment While failure can have beneficial effects, it is essential to acknowledge that the context and support surrounding students' experiences of failure are crucial determinants of their outcomes. A supportive environment that provides guidance, encouragement, and opportunities for growth is paramount in harnessing the positive effects of failure. Teachers, parents, and educational institutions play a pivotal role in creating such an environment. By fostering a growth mindset, providing constructive feedback, and teaching students how to learn from failure, educators can help students perceive failure as a stepping stone to success rather than a roadblock. By reframing failure as an opportunity for learning and growth, educators can empower students to navigate setbacks with resilience, develop effective problem-solving skills, and thrive academically and personally.
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The Path to Resilience: Guiding Elementary School Students to Embrace Challenges and Thrive5/16/2023 Resiliency, simply put, is the ability to adapt and bounce back from adversity. It is a critical skill for children to develop, as they navigate the challenges of growing up and face inevitable setbacks and difficulties. For elementary school students, resiliency can manifest in various ways, from a child who perseveres through a difficult math problem to a student who shows empathy and compassion for a classmate who is struggling.
Resiliency is not a fixed trait but rather a set of skills that can be learned and developed over time. Researchers have identified several contributing key factors including positive relationships with caring adults, a sense of belonging and connection, a growth mindset, and the ability to regulate one's emotions and behavior. Positive relationships with caring adults Positive relationships with caring adults play a crucial role in promoting resiliency in children. Research consistently demonstrates that children who have strong connections with adults who care about them are more likely to develop the skills and mindset necessary to overcome challenges and thrive in the face of adversity. Teachers, school leaders, and parents have a unique ability to teach resiliency at an early age. Teachers, as influential figures in a child's life, can significantly impact their resiliency. They can build positive relationships simply by taking the time to get to know their students, showing empathy and understanding, and providing encouragement and feedback. School leaders can create a positive school culture by fostering a sense of community and connection among staff, students, and families. Research shows that a positive school climate, characterized by a sense of belonging and support, is associated with higher student achievement and well-being. School leaders can facilitate opportunities for collaboration, encourage open communication, and promote a sense of belonging among all members of the school community. Parents, as primary caregivers, have a unique and essential role in supporting their children's resiliency. A strong parent-child relationship built on trust, communication, and emotional support provides a secure base from which children can explore and navigate life's challenges. Research emphasizes that parental availability and responsiveness are key factors in promoting resilience in children. Being present, actively listening, offering guidance and support when needed, and fostering open communication are all effective ways for parents to nurture resilience in their children. Sense of belonging and connection Research consistently supports the notion that a sense of belonging and connection is crucial for promoting resiliency in children. When children feel connected to their peers and their school community, they are more likely to develop the skills and mindset needed to overcome challenges and thrive in the face of adversity. Teachers play a significant role in fostering a sense of belonging in their classrooms. Creating a positive and inclusive environment where all students feel valued and respected is essential. Research has found that students who perceive their teachers as caring and supportive are more engaged in school, have higher academic achievement, and demonstrate better psychological well-being. Teachers can promote belonging by encouraging collaboration and cooperation among students, providing opportunities for group work and teamwork, and creating an atmosphere that celebrates diversity and appreciates different perspectives. School leaders can promote a sense of belonging by creating a school-wide culture of respect and inclusivity, and by providing opportunities for students to engage in extracurricular activities and service projects. By providing opportunities for students to engage in extracurricular activities, clubs, and service projects school leaders can further enhance students’ sense of belonging and connection to the school community. Research suggests that when schools emphasize a sense of community and positive relationships, students experience improved academic and social-emotional outcomes. School leaders can also foster belonging by implementing policies and practices that prioritize respect, equity, and inclusivity. Parents can support their children's sense of belonging by encouraging them to participate in school and community activities and by fostering connections with family and friends. Encouraging children to participate in school activities, clubs, and events helps them establish connections with their peers. Parental involvement in school activities is associated with improved academic performance and greater social competence in children. Furthermore, fostering connections with family and friends, as well as engaging in community activities, provides children with a broader network of support, reinforcing their sense of belonging and connection. Growth mindset Research consistently highlights the importance of a growth mindset in promoting resilience and perseverance in children. A growth mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort and hard work, rather than being fixed traits. Teachers can promote a growth mindset in their classrooms by emphasizing the process of learning and effort rather than just the outcome, providing opportunities for students to take risks and make mistakes, and modeling a growth mindset themselves. By emphasizing the process of learning rather than solely focusing on outcomes, teachers can encourage students to view challenges and setbacks as opportunities for growth. Students with a growth mindset are more likely to persist in the face of obstacles and demonstrate higher levels of achievement. Teachers can foster a growth mindset by providing constructive feedback that emphasizes effort and improvement, offering opportunities for students to take risks and make mistakes, and encouraging a positive attitude towards learning School leaders can promote a growth mindset by providing professional development opportunities for staff and by creating a culture of continuous improvement and learning. By providing professional development opportunities that focus on growth mindset principles, leaders can equip teachers with strategies to nurture a growth mindset in their students. Creating a culture of continuous improvement and learning, where effort and progress are celebrated, can further support the development of a growth mindset among students. Research shows that school-wide interventions promoting growth mindset can lead to positive academic and social-emotional outcomes for students. Parents can support a growth mindset in their children by praising effort and hard work rather than just achievement, and by encouraging them to try new things and take on challenges. Praising effort, perseverance, and hard work rather than solely focusing on achievements can help children develop a belief in their ability to improve and overcome challenges. Research found that children who received process-oriented praise were more likely to demonstrate a growth mindset and approach challenges with resilience. Additionally, parents can encourage their children to try new things, take on challenges, and view mistakes as opportunities for learning and growth. This helps children develop a belief in their own capacity to learn and improve. Emotional regulation Research consistently highlights the significant role of emotional regulation in promoting resilience in children. Children who can effectively regulate their emotions and behavior are better equipped to handle stress, cope with challenges, and bounce back from setbacks. Teachers can promote emotional regulation in their classrooms by teaching strategies for managing emotions, providing opportunities for students to practice these strategies, and modeling healthy emotional expression themselves. By explicitly teaching strategies for managing emotions, such as deep breathing, positive self-talk, and problem-solving, teachers can provide students with valuable tools for regulating their emotions. Research shows that teaching emotional regulation skills contributes to positive social and academic outcomes. Additionally, providing opportunities for students to practice these strategies in a supportive environment, such as during classroom discussions or conflict resolution activities, can help children develop and strengthen their emotional regulation skills. Teachers can also serve as role models by demonstrating healthy emotional expression and modeling effective coping strategies when faced with challenges. School leaders can promote emotional regulation by providing resources and support for students who may be struggling with emotional regulation, and by creating a school-wide culture of emotional intelligence and empathy. By providing resources and support for students who may be struggling with emotional regulation, such as access to counseling services or social-emotional learning programs, school leaders can help children develop and enhance their emotional regulation skills. Moreover, by fostering a culture of empathy and understanding, school leaders can create an environment where students feel safe and supported in expressing and managing their emotions. Parents can support emotional regulation in their children by teaching coping strategies for managing emotions, providing a safe and supportive home environment, and modeling healthy emotional expression themselves. By teaching coping strategies for managing emotions, such as taking breaks, engaging in physical activity, or practicing mindfulness, parents can provide their children with effective tools for emotional regulation. Parents' emotion coaching, which involves recognizing and validating their children's emotions and providing guidance for managing them, is associated with improved emotional regulation skills in children. Additionally, creating a safe and supportive home environment where children feel comfortable expressing their emotions without judgment is essential for their emotional development. Parents can also model healthy emotional expression themselves, demonstrating appropriate ways of managing and expressing emotions. Why English teachers (including me) need to let go and let students choose - science tells us so5/14/2023 As educators, we are always striving to improve student learning outcomes; understanding brain-based learning strategies and how the brain learns best is essential. Choice reading, which allows high school English students to select their own reading materials, strongly improves these outcomes and the science tells us so!
Research shows that the brain is wired to learn through connections and experiences. Students are more likely to retain information when it is presented in a way that engages them and makes them feel connected to the material. Also, the brain is more likely to remember information that is presented in a variety of ways, such as through visual aids, hands-on activities, and interactive experiences. Choice reading aligns with these principles in several ways. Choice reading allows students to select reading materials that are personally relevant and engaging. When students are presented with material that is personally relevant and engaging, they are more likely to be motivated to learn, and therefore more likely to retain the information presented. Personal relevance is one of the most important factors in enhancing memory and recall. Studies found that when students are given the opportunity to choose their own reading materials, they are more likely to find the content personally relevant and engaging. This sense of autonomy and ownership over their learning can lead to greater intrinsic motivation, which is critical for brain-based learning. Choice reading allows for differentiation in the classroom. It is no secret that students come with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and abilities, and learning is most effective when it is tailored to individual needs. Differentiated instruction can improve student achievement, engagement, and motivation and choice reading is a form of differentiation that allows students to select reading materials that align with their individual interests and reading levels. Students are more likely to be engaged and motivated in their learning, which can lead to improved academic outcomes. Multiple studies have found that allowing students to choose their own reading materials led to increased motivation and engagement, particularly among struggling readers. Choice reading can promote critical thinking skills. When students are allowed to choose their own reading materials, they are more likely to make connections between the text and their own experiences, which can lead to deeper thinking and analysis. This type of personal relevance enhances student learning and promotes critical thinking. Choice reading can allow for creativity in student responses to the text, which can further promote critical thinking skills. For example, students may choose to create a video, write a song or poem, or design a graphic novel based on the text they have chosen. Allowing for creativity and choice in response to text has been shown to enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Despite the many benefits of choice reading, some may argue that it is not a practical approach to teaching high school English. Some worry that students will not choose books that align with the curriculum, or that students will not take the reading seriously if it is not assigned by the teacher. I disagree and these concerns can be addressed through careful planning and implementation of choice reading. Teachers may need to provide guidelines for book selection that align with the curriculum, or provide a list of recommended books that meet the learning objectives of the class. Additionally, teachers can hold students accountable for their reading by requiring written responses to the text, conducting book discussions, or incorporating the books into class activities and assessments. As an English teacher it can be challenging to give up control and allow students to take the lead. Our passion for sharing great literature often leads us to feel that it is our responsibility to ensure that students experience the same works that drew us in. While there is certainly value in this approach, it is also important to give students a voice in their learning journey. By doing so, we can increase their engagement and motivation, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding and appreciation of literature. |
AuthorBrian Vohden is an experienced education, non-profit, and business leader, with a proven track record of transforming educational processes, practices, and strategies. He has expertise in proactive and data-driven approaches to educational technology, curriculum development, virtual learning, and administrative support. He is also a successful owner of Vohden Education, providing high-impact online tutoring, college counseling, and professional development services. Brian holds a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership, Management & Policy. ArchivesCategories
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