Nothing to Fear

Nothing to Fear

One of the things I learned much later in my career was the idea that a very important goal to achieve with students was to help them learn to be risk takers.  I came to learn that students don't learn unless they make mistakes and to make mistakes you have to be a risk taker.  Risk takers are not afraid to stand out on a limb and reach.  They are not afraid to try to answer a question even if they might be wrong.  They are prepared to think out of the box when working on a project or writing or even choosing a book to read from a library collection.  These are our future inventors, our problem solvers, our politicians, our entrepreneurs.  These are the ones who always step up to the plate first because they are not afraid to make a mistake.  They have grit too....they can be knocked down and will get right back  up. As I was thinking about writing this column tonight, I realized that too many teachers are NOT risk-takers.  They are not capable of going out on a limb. They probably, so many of them, chose teaching because it was a safe profession.  Then they get to Teacher's College, to a program of Teacher Education, and they listen to the counsel of people like me, telling them to encourage their students to be risk takers and that plea falls on deaf ears.  They cannot teach what they don't know how to do. The sad part of it is that those teachers who rise to the top of administration and classroom practice are the ones not afraid to take a risk.  But what do all those teachers sitting in front of their students who are afraid to take a risk do?  They do not have to necessarily go through their careers like that.  They can try to make changes in small steps.  I used to remind my students about the Little Engine That Could who talked himself into being able to climb the mountain to get to the other side of the rails.  He had to tell himself constantly that he thought he could, he thought he could. WE need to do that as well, though.  WE have to see our classroom as places where we have enough confidence to experiment and to try new things.  I knew nothing about having turtles and Guinea pigs and gerbils and rabbits in my classroom but I knew it was good for my students and so I did it.  Our only thought should be if it is good or bad for students and what seps to take of precaution.  There is nothing to fear in trying and not being successful.  The wonderful thing about students, our young people, is the they will be pleased that you tried. They won't know what success looks like but they do know what an attempt is and if it is done for their benefit they will be over the moon and if they are over the moon, they will try harder to learn from us. That is how it goes....I think I can, I think I can ends up being I know I can, I know I can and the students go along for that ride. Try.....don't be afraid.