Learning from Failure

Today has been a relaxing day of watching college football and cheering for my favorite teams. I have especially been impressed by the recent rising of teams that had suffered devastating set backs last year only to make emboldened drives for success this season. I wondered to myself could this success have been possible if these teams would have not suffered the pain of setback I then wondered how this principle could fit into an educational environment.

In an age where we want to protect, shield and hide students from the unpleasantness of temporary set-back, this is doing a great disservice to the student and is detrimental to the learning process.

The discomfort of setback offers us a time of deep and serious reflection; reflection which might not have occurred if the discomfort were absent. In our collective realities that we call life, discomfort and setback are entities which we must contend with. By not allowing learners the opportunity to engage with these entities their capacities to deal with them in the real world would be severely hampered.

Competition offers a controlled environment in which important human capacities can be honed and trained. Yes success and failure are a part of the dynamic of competition. Setbacks humble us in the face of future success, making us good stewards of the gifts we oft receive.

Rising from the ashes of perceived defeat is an essential skill invaluable to human development. Perseverance in the face of perceived failure is the key to a fruitful and successful life. We should not rob learners of the opportunity to discover something truly timeless and invaluable within themselves.