My Favorite Failure by Ronald A. Beghetto & Laura McBain

Author:Ronald A. Beghetto & Laura McBain
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD
Published: 2022-04-20T00:00:00+00:00

Ron: Those are such important questions, Laura, for us all to consider in our work as educators.

These questions align with the above story because they challenge us to think about what we can do to engage with multiple perspectives at the beginning of our design processes, during a lesson, and following a lesson.

Early in our careers, especially as educators there is a lot of pressure to demonstrate what or how a good classroom or disciplinary structure is supposed to look like. Sometimes we draw on perspectives of our past rather than the perspectives of the young people and colleagues before us in the here and now.

What might be different if we had conversations with students about their concerns instead of automatically using our one perspective to make a judgment? Even if such conversations lead to unwanted outcomes, there’s powerful data in there too. In this story, the teacher felt shame. Shame is a powerful self-emotion (Tracy & Robins, 2004) that sometimes makes you want to run away from it or hide. But even if the conversation brings up feelings of shame, doubt, or regret, we can use it to see other people more clearly and use it as an opportunity to look inward at ourselves only.

The sometimes-painful reflective acts, as shown in this story, remind us that perspective grants us a chance for redemption. The possibility to apologize, not only to parents but to students demonstrating even embarrassing or shameful experiences can serve as powerful learning moments for everyone involved.

When embarking upon a new challenge or idea, there is opportunity to take in different perspectives. We can ask and build on questions like the ones you raised, Laura, such as:

Before acting, how can you try to get the perspectives of those you need to learn from before, after, or when you are in the midst of taking action? What information can you gather?

How can you create space for perspectives to be heard and listened to before, during, and after acting?

How can you demonstrate learning by honoring these different perspectives?

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