Failing Forward

I asked my 4-year-old grandson if he would like a "Do-over."  He looked at me a little puzzled and asked, "Grandma, how to you know about do-overs?"

I've welcomed a lot of do-overs in my lifetime.  One of the great things about teaching is that you get a "do-over" every semester and a new beginning every school year.  You start fresh.  You work from a clean slate.  You build your reputation.

As a first-year teacher, I learned quickly that if my students didn't gain the knowledge base they needed, I had to work harder for the rest of the year.  I did them no favor to allow them to scrape through with a 'C' or 'D' if they didn't have content mastery.

My second year of teaching, I announced to my keyboarding class, "Now, listen carefully and take notes.  This information is crucial and foundational.  If you don't pass the test on this material, you won't pass the class."


A student sitting center rear yelled out, "Hey, you don't know me, teach.  I don't do tests."

I quickly responded, "In my class, you do."

The moment the lecture was finished, I walked to his desk and helped him with his notes.

When test day arrived, 8 students did poorly.  While the rest of the class was working on an assignment, I gathered them together and said, "Evidently I didn't teach this the way you need to learn.  There are several ways you can approach this.  Use the one that works for you."  I reviewed the material three different ways, all coming to the same conclusion.

Two students took the test 3 times. Everyone passed both the test and the class.

The next year, I announced to my keyboarding class, "Now, listen carefully and take notes.  This information is crucial and foundational.  If you don't pass the test on this material, you won't pass the class."


A student sitting center rear yelled out, "Hey, you don't know me, teach.  I don't do tests."

Before I could respond, a student sitting across the aisle from him said, "Hey, in this class, she means it.  You better take notes."

What is the point?   

Content Mastery, Not Just a Passing Grade!

Our job is to empower our students.  Our job is to teach the way they need to learn.  Our job is to give second and third chances during the developmental stages of our content so they don't need them by the time they get to the final.


I always tell my students they have the right to fail my class, but I have a responsibility to make failure harder than passing would be.

Do your students get "do-overs?"  Do they start each unit, semester, and year with a clean slate?

Make sure, when they fail, that they fail forward.

The only ultimate failure is falling down one more time than we get up.