School Newsletter - February 2025 | ||||||||||||||
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"Happy Valentine's Day!"
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![]() Teaching Students to Use Failures Productively in Pre-KBy Cara Zelas In early childhood education, success is often celebrated, while failure can sometimes be seen as moments to avoid. But what if we changed this perspective? Teaching young children how to navigate and learn from their mistakes — whether it’s spilling paint, struggling with a puzzle, or building a block tower that tumbles — can help them develop important life skills like resilience, creativity, and problem-solving. These foundational abilities are key to fostering a growth mindset, where every mistake becomes an opportunity to learn rather than a reason to stop trying. By embracing failure as a natural part of the learning process, educators can create playful, supportive environments where children feel safe to try new things, explore their ideas, and keep going even when things don’t work out the first time. These early lessons in persistence and adaptability lay the groundwork for lifelong learning and success. The Science Behind Learning From FailureResearch supports the idea that failure can be a powerful teacher. Carol Dweck’s growth mindset theory demonstrates that when students believe their abilities can improve through effort and persistence, they view failure as an opportunity to grow rather than a reflection of their worth. In my experience, this process begins as early as preschool, where children naturally encounter opportunities to learn through trial and error, such as navigating social dynamics or mastering fine motor skills. This not only fosters deeper understanding but also contributes to long-term skill acquisition. By normalizing failure in the classroom, educators set the stage for deeper learning, increased resilience, and improved self-awareness. 6 Strategies for Teaching Failure as a Skill in Preschool
These strategies make learning from failure a natural and positive part of preschoolers’ development, building their resilience and adaptability early in life. TALKING ABOUT FAILURE IN EVERYDAY MOMENTSTeaching about failure isn’t limited to structured activities — it’s woven into the daily moments of a preschool classroom. Preschool teachers can model positive responses to mistakes by using encouraging language and guiding children to reflect on what they can try next. For example, if a child struggles to zip their jacket, a teacher might say, “You’re working hard on that! Let’s try it together — remember, every time you try, you get better.” FAILURE AS A LEARNING ASSETMistakes can often be the best teachers for young children. By creating a classroom environment where trying, stumbling, and trying again are celebrated, preschool educators empower children to build essential life skills like resilience, creativity, and problem-solving. Some educators and parents worry that focusing on failure might undermine confidence or lower standards. However, the opposite is true. By guiding students through the process of analyzing setbacks and celebrating their perseverance, educators build confidence grounded in real achievements. The goal isn’t to glorify failure but to make it less intimidating. Teaching little ones to embrace mistakes doesn’t mean encouraging them to be careless — it means helping them see mistakes as a natural and valuable part of learning. When preschoolers are supported in understanding their errors, exploring new approaches, and persisting through challenges, they develop confidence in their abilities and a willingness to try new things. By fostering a mindset that views failure as a stepping stone, educators nurture emotional intelligence in early childhood. When children encounter setbacks, they practice regulating their emotions, staying optimistic, and approaching challenges with determination. Our role as early educators isn’t just to celebrate successes but to guide children in discovering that every stumble is an opportunity to grow, learn, and thrive. *Excerpts taken from “Teaching Students to Use Failures Productively in Pre-K” by Cara Zelas ![]() ![]() We’re here for all of your staffing needs.
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