Live. Learn. Lead.

I get to spend a fair amount of time visiting classrooms. One of the benefits of walking into so many different schools and classrooms is the opportunity be a fly on the wall in small moments of genius. What I am about to describe happened a year ago but it has stuck with me and is something I draw on as an example of what students can do when we believe in them and equip them with the tools to be successful. 

I visited a 3rd-grade classroom and observed 4 students working collaboratively on a math problem. They dissected a word problem and discussing how to solve it and needed to “show their thinking”. Each student had an assigned role and each took the assignment and role seriously. They identified important information, they made connections by describing the type of problem they were solving, and talked through potential solutions.

As they got to a point where the assigned “scribe” was writing out the steps in their thinking, he made an incorrect mathematical notation on the groups sheet. Since he was writing in marker, there was no option of erasing. There was some back and forth among the group members about leaving the incorrect information versus scratching it out and writing it correctly.

One of the students was insistent that they had to scratch it out. She wasn’t rude. She didn’t throw a tantrum. She simply stood her ground because she knew that they must share accurate information. However, because the group had built such strong relational capacity, presumably fostered by the classroom teacher, the student stop when the student relented and prepared to strike through the mistake. Instead she continued with empathy telling the scribe, “It’s ok, mistakes make our brains learn.” 

|Mistakes make our brains learn.|

Such a great perspective. In that class. For that student. Mistakes were viewed as a learning opportunity. I hope that all of the students in that classroom and school are able to nurture that mindset and carry it forward through their lives. 

Further, I think it’s important for adults to hold on to that mindset. Regardless of role, partner, parent, manager, employees, leader, coach, etc. What would it look like to embrace the idea that mistakes make our brains learn, in all facets of our lives? Would it change the relationships we have? Leading with a belief that mistakes make our brains learn certainly suggests we presume positive intent in relationships. I think it also places an expectation on us to not only identify mistakes that someone might make but also support them in the learning process. It’s not good enough to grab the red pen, mark it wrong, and move on.

The Live. Learn. Lead. mindset suggests we need to be continuous learners. We need to cultivate curiosity. When we embrace mistakes as opportunities for learning we are prioritizing learning as a key element for growth. 

Additionally, there is a significant, multi-disciplinary research base the supports, reinforces, and refines the idea espoused by a 3rd grade student. Yes, indeed, mistakes make our brains learn.