Failure is easy to teach. Years ago I taught at a Junior High School, history classes mostly, "World History" and specifically History of Russia, India, Africa and Western European History. These were each eleven week classes and there was a lot of ground to cover, a lot of information for the exploding minds of fourteen year old school children. I was often asked what I taught? The answer was always students.
I never felt as though I had to teach them everything, get to the end of the book nor rush to complete every assignment. I never packed them full of data and dates, times and places nor tricky things that I might test them on later. In fact, the final exam I passed out to them on the first day of school. They knew what was expected of them.
Most had never had a teacher like me. All of my tests were "open book" and they could bring all of the notes they wanted to class. They could even talk to each other and pass notes during the exams. I solved the "cheating problem" by making it impossible to cheat. I also never asked those kinds of questions, tick the right answer or fill in the blank. I wanted explanations, a defense of their positions. I wanted to know the why of history.
In an eleven week course I spent the first three weeks on how to write essays. How to outline an idea and break it down into smaller segments which could be discussed and how to discover information to support an idea. How to look at an argument from both sides. How there are views of History and differing approaches to understanding it. How to write three sentences in a row and finally whole paragraphs.
It is no different than cooking or any other activity where we might find success. We feel powerless and in despair when every attempt seems to end in failure. I think success breeds success and confidence creates confidence and self esteem can be bolstered in small achievements.
You can always find me HERE
I never felt as though I had to teach them everything, get to the end of the book nor rush to complete every assignment. I never packed them full of data and dates, times and places nor tricky things that I might test them on later. In fact, the final exam I passed out to them on the first day of school. They knew what was expected of them.
Most had never had a teacher like me. All of my tests were "open book" and they could bring all of the notes they wanted to class. They could even talk to each other and pass notes during the exams. I solved the "cheating problem" by making it impossible to cheat. I also never asked those kinds of questions, tick the right answer or fill in the blank. I wanted explanations, a defense of their positions. I wanted to know the why of history.
In an eleven week course I spent the first three weeks on how to write essays. How to outline an idea and break it down into smaller segments which could be discussed and how to discover information to support an idea. How to look at an argument from both sides. How there are views of History and differing approaches to understanding it. How to write three sentences in a row and finally whole paragraphs.
It is no different than cooking or any other activity where we might find success. We feel powerless and in despair when every attempt seems to end in failure. I think success breeds success and confidence creates confidence and self esteem can be bolstered in small achievements.
You can always find me HERE
