“If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.” – Sir Ken Robinson
This quote has stayed with me for years. But lately, it’s become something more than inspiring—it’s become urgent.
At our school, one of our most important values is simple: Accept Mistakes.
It’s part of our ethos. We say it, we write it on walls, we encourage it.
But something didn’t sit right.
Because even with this rule in place, I’ve watched children freeze after getting a wrong answer. I’ve seen them shut down in silence, rip up a worksheet, or mumble, “I’m not good at this.”
Even my own children—at home—sometimes carry that invisible weight of needing to get it right.
And so I began to ask myself—honestly, painfully: are we truly teaching children to accept mistakes, or are we just hoping they will?
As both a school director and a mother, I couldn’t ignore this. So I started digging. I read, listened, reflected, and asked hard questions.
This article is both what I found—and what we are going to do next.
The Problem Isn’t the Mistake—It’s the Shame Around It
Children are naturally curious. They try, tumble, get back up. They don’t worry about being “wrong” until someone teaches them that mistakes should be hidden.
In most schools, children learn quickly that a red mark means failure. That the wrong answer means embarrassment. That misbehaving means exclusion.
But this kills creativity. It crushes confidence. And it makes children afraid to try.
This Is What We’re Changing
At Researchers Schoolhouse, we’re turning “Accept Mistakes” from a slogan into a living practice.
And here’s how we’re doing it—step by step.
1. We, the Adults, Go First
From now on, teachers (and yes, even I) will make our own mistakes visible.
“Oops, I got that wrong—let’s figure it out together.”
“This part of the lesson didn’t land the way I hoped. What could we do differently next time?”
Children don’t need perfect role models. They need real ones.
2. We Change the Language Around Mistakes
Words matter. The way we talk about mistakes shapes how children feel about them.
We’ll stop saying “wrong.” We’ll start asking:
“What made you think that?”
“What do you notice now?”
“What could we try instead?”
Because learning begins when shame ends.
3. We Create Safe Spaces for Risk-Taking
Children will be invited to:
- Make wild guesses
- Try messy first drafts
- Play with ideas with no “right” answer
We’ll use mini whiteboards, games, and collaborative thinking to remind them:
The classroom is a place of practice, not perfection.
4. We Teach the Science of Mistakes
Students will learn that their brain grows when they make and reflect on a mistake. That every “oops” is a spark of neural change.
That mistakes aren’t setbacks—they’re signals of learning in motion.We’ll say it clearly:
“Making a mistake is how you build your brain.”
5. We Praise the Process, Not Just the Product
We’ll celebrate:
- Children who revise their ideas
- Students who say, “I don’t get it… yet”
- Effort, curiosity, and bravery over speed or correctness
We’ll say:
“That was a brave try.”
“You kept going, even when it was hard. That matters.”
Because what we reward is what children will repeat.
6. We Reflect on Mistakes, Then Share Them Proudly
Each week, students will:
- Write or draw their “Best Mistake”
- Share what they learned from it
- Add it to a growing wall of courageous moments
We’ll stop hiding mistakes. We’ll hang them up.
7. We Change How We Respond to Behavioural Mistakes
This is where our values are tested the most. It’s easy to accept a math error. But when a child rolls their eyes, interrupts, or speaks harshly… we often forget: behaviour is learning too.
We’re committing to a new approach—a 3-step response to misbehaviour that teaches, not just reacts:
1. Pause the Behaviour, Not the Relationship
Instead of escalating, we breathe and say:
“Something’s not working right now. Let’s take a moment.”
We stop the action, not the child’s sense of belonging.
2. Reflect Together
Once calm, we ask:
“What were you feeling?”
“What happened before this?”
“What can we do differently next time?”
We replace correction with conversation.
3. Repair and Reconnect
We guide the child to make it right—with words, actions, or care. And then we say:
“You’re still part of us. Let’s try again.”
Because what matters most is not the mistake—but the repair.
Why This Matters?
Because our children will grow up. And when they do, they will:
- Face hard decisions
- Try things and fail
- Hurt someone’s feelings
- Miss a goal
- Be told “no”
- Doubt themselves
And in those moments, we want them to remember: They are allowed to make mistakes. And they know how to grow from them.
What’s Next
This is the beginning of a new chapter at our school. We will walk slowly. Reflect often. Adjust as we go. We will stumble too—and that’s okay. Because we’re building a culture where mistakes don’t end the story. They start it.
We’d love to hear from you.
Was there a mistake that shaped who you are today?
Share it in the comments or tag us with #Mistakeswelcome.
Together, let’s raise children who aren’t afraid to be wrong— because they know it’s how we all learn to be rightfully human.