What is failure? Merriam-Webster defines it as the, “omission of occurrence or performance. Specifically : a failing to perform a duty or expected action,” (Merriam-Webster, 2020). Based on this definition, anytime you are not able to perform a task, you are failing. In my 4th and 5th grade split classroom we consider it growth when you are not able to initially perform a task but improve in some way; it is a normal part of the learning process. In our classroom, students are encouraged to test out procedures and figure out what works and what doesn’t. I value my student’s opinions, and honor their ideas in our classroom. I try to be flexible and adjust to each student as needed. In the classroom, students are encouraged to try. We try to remember to have a growth mindset. A growth mindset, “thrives on challenge and sees failure not as evidence of unintelligence but as a heartening springboard for growth and for stretching our existing abilities,” (Popova, 2014). If students “fail”, or do not achieve their goal the first time, then they ask questions and figure out how to be successful or learn from the experience. There are many times I haven’t been successful when trying something new. I share these experiences with my students in an attempt to show that we can learn from trying and show students that at some point everyone has been unsuccessful. The important part of failing is learning from the experience and using this knowledge in the future. Students in the 4th and 5th grade split classroom participate in a Rube Goldberg simple machine project. This is an example of students needing to constantly adjust their ideas based on trial and error.
What is learning? Merriam-Webster defines it as, “knowledge or skill acquired by instruction or study,” (Merriam-Webster, 2020). In my classroom, learners are at the center of their own learning. They build upon their current level of knowledge and use this information to form new knowledge. I believe in Seymour Papert’s learning theory of constructionism where “learning is most effective when the learner designs or constructs a tangible or meaningful product as part of an educational activity... the creation process and the end product must be shared with others to get the full benefit of learning,” (Rob & Rob, 2018, p. 275). In our classroom, students are encouraged to be creative, share ideas with others, and know they will be supported when trying something new. I try to design units of study based on Project Based Learning concepts. One example of a Project Based Learning project in my classroom is a study on area and perimeter. This study happens to fall during the month of December and I decided to tie it into a unit on creating gingerbread houses. In this study, students initially learn about the basic concepts of area and perimeter. They then learn how to calculate it. I finish with explaining why it is a concept that is important; I try to share real life examples with the students so they can see how they can apply these in the future. Students then use this information to create a gingerbread house template based on specific requirements. Students work in small groups to expand their houses and make a template for a 3D house. Based on the template, students create a 3D gingerbread house and then use this house template to make a real gingerbread house. Throughout the project, students are constantly calculating area and perimeter while expressing themselves in a creative way showing full understanding of the concepts. In our classroom, I hope students leave knowing that failing is not something to be ashamed of but are able to use their experiences to learn.
Sources Cited:
Failure. 2020. In Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved November 3, 2020, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/failure
Rob, M., & Rob, F. (2018). Dilemma between constructivism and constructionism leading to the development of a teaching-learning framework for student engagement and learning. Journal of International Education in Business, 11(2), 273–290. https://www-emerald-com.proxy1.cl.msu.edu/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JIEB-01-2018-0002/full/pdf?title=dilemma-between-constructivism-and-constructionism-leading-to-the-development-of-a-teaching-learning-framework-for-student-engagement-and-learning
Dougherty, D. (2011, January). We are makers. Retrieved November 03, 2020, from https://www.ted.com/talks/dale_dougherty_we_are_makers/transcript
Popova, M. (2014, January 29). Fixed vs. Growth: The Two Basic Mindsets That Shape Our Lives. Brain Pickings. https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/01/29/carol-dweck-mindset/
Whitehead, B. (2020, July 18). Maker Challenge: Simple Machines and the Rube Goldberg Challenge. Teach Engineering. https://www.teachengineering.org/makerchallenges/view/lau-2321-simple-machines-mechanisms-rube-goldberg-challenge
Dweck, C. (2016, January 13). What Having a “Growth Mindset” Actually Means. Harvard Business Review Home. https://hbr.org/2016/01/what-having-a-growth-mindset-actually-means
What is PBL? (n.d.). Home Site Navigation What Is PBL? Why PBL? Get Started Services Research. Retrieved November 11, 2020, from https://www.pblworks.org/what-is-pbl
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