Category Archives: Mistakes

Rather Than Shame, Learn From Mistakes

“Are you sitting on the bench because you’re injured?”

I had recess duty for 5th and 6th grade during a guest (substitute) teaching assignment and spotted a boy sitting on the bench.

“No, I’m in trouble.” He shuffled his feet and bowed his head.

I could see the shame he felt so I said, “Well, the important thing is that you learn from your mistake. We don’t have to be ashamed of making mistakes.

We all make them and sometimes we make the same ones more than once but hopefully, we eventually learn not to make those mistakes. Whatever it is you did, learn from it and do better next time.”

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Leave Past Failures Behind

Leave the past behind with all of its disappointments and failures.
Receive new mercy and compassion for your mistakes.
Believe in today with all of its new dreams and possibilities.

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No Shame in Mistakes ~ Learn From Them

I spotted a boy sitting on the bench last week during a guest teaching assignment. I had recess duty for 5th and 6th grade so I walked over and asked him, “Are you sitting on the bench because you’re injured?”

He shuffled his feet and bowed his head, “No, I’m in trouble.”

I could see the shame he felt so I said, “Well, the important thing is that you learn from your mistake. We don’t have to be ashamed of making mistakes. We all make them and sometimes we make the same ones more than once but hopefully we eventually learn not to make those mistakes. Whatever it is you did, learn from it and do better next time.”

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Be Kind to Each Other ~ You’re Not Stupid

As a guest teacher, I hear kids calling each other “stupid.” I don’t like this and try to address when I can because it’s not true and it’s damaging to their sense of value and worth.

This is a broader cultural problem as well. We have a tendency to think making mistakes means you’re stupid.

Let’s face it, we all make dumb mistakes from time to time and sometimes daily. However, that does not make us “stupid” but simply means we’re imperfect humans. Most of us are intelligent people in varying measures who make mistakes and hopefully we learn from them.

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How Cleaning Up Crayons Makes You Strong

What does cleaning up crayons have to do with growing stronger?

My grandsons scattered crayons all over the floor as they colored, ran off and left the mess.

“Come on over and clean up this mess you made and put the crayons back,” I shouted at them so they could hear.

They protested.

“Come on, it makes you strong to clean up your own messes. So come over here and get strong by taking responsibility to clean up your mess.”

They ran to the mess of crayons all over the floor and started putting them away.

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