I worry that students see 'failing' as something negative, as a mark against them, or a signal of lower value. I feel strongly that students need to fail. They need to learn from their mistakes, and not be overly 'coddled.' It's hard, I admit, to listen to a student say he/she can't do it or 'this sucks.' Our first instinct is to rush in and help them, but I find that if I step back and let them work through it, they feel a much greater sense of accomplishment. I agree with Joshua Block's post on Edutopia that "students' discomfort is an organic part of learning and creating."
How does this work in a traditional classroom setting or school system with emphasis on testing? Truthfully, I do not know. I only know that flexibility is essential, and that what works well for some students can be particularly troubling for others. For students who have not been pushed to really think about their own learning and take ownership of their mistakes, it can be a challenge. I think it's really important, however, to give students opportunities to fail, and then succeed.
