Fail forward- How I learnt to love my mistakes.

One of the advantages of being a teacher is that you get to make so many mistakes.

And guess what? You receive an instant reward or lesson when you do. Throughout my life as a teacher, I've learned to embrace mistakes and actually learn from them. This has given me the confidence to try new things because I know that when things go wrong, I have the tools to fix them or learn from the experience.

?As I often say- I learn how not to do it that way again. For me, making mistakes is all part of the learning process, so I always embrace new experiences because I know that when I fall, I will rise up even stronger.

When I first started teaching, I made the mistake of focusing solely on completing the curriculum and finishing the lesson content. I was focussing on covering every topic that I neglected to build relationships with my students before engaging them with the material.

This approach quickly backfired. My students were disengaged, and the classroom atmosphere was far from conducive to learning.

?I reflected on my approach and I decided to change my strategy. Instead of diving straight into the content, I spent time getting to know my students, understanding their interests, and building rapport.

I shared stories, asked about their days, and made sure they felt heard and valued. This shift made a world of difference.

My students became more engaged, participative, and eager to learn.

This experience taught me a valuable lesson: the importance of connection in education. By prioritising relationships, I created a more dynamic and effective learning environment.

This mistake, and the lesson it taught me, reinforced my belief that failure is an essential part of growth.

As you go ahead today, remember that failing is part of the game. Each mistake is an opportunity to learn and improve.

Keep on failing and keep on improving. The journey may be tough, but it's through these trials that we grow stronger and more resilient.