Mistakes as Opportunities

In a Montessori school, mistakes are not failures, but precious teaching moments. Making mistakes is a natural part of learning! Children also learn better wen they can experiment without fear of failure or judgement. I am sure you can easily recall a moment when you felt embarrassed learning how to do something for the first time. Perhaps you fell your first time ice skating in front of everyone. Perhaps you burned all the food at your first dinner party…

The pressure of trying something new can be crippling UNLESS the child fosters a strong belief in their ability to learn new things. 

How can you make sure that your child will walk confidently out into the world when they enter adulthood? By fostering resilience, self-esteem, and humility. 

How-To Guide

1. Don’t immediately correct every mistake they make. In fact, you can wait until they ask you for your feedback before you say anything. 
   

2. Let your child make their own mistakes and explore what doesn’t work and why, on their way to finding out what does work.
   

3. Celebrate their effort, not only their results. Reflect on your own personal feelings about winning and losing: how do you feel when your child succeeds? Is that similar to how you feel about your own successes and failures? How do you want your child to feel when they reflect on their own experiences?
   

4. Say THIS instead of THAT

What could you have done differently?	You made a mistake.
What would have happened if…?	I told you so!
Can I make a suggestion when you are ready to try again? (and respect their answer whether they say yes or no)	You should have…

The child who doesn’t fear making mistakes becomes an adult who dares to examine new points of view, who never stops learning, and who is inclined towards innovation.