A Closer Look At Mistakes To Improve Learning

By Author: Lancers International School
Total Articles: 17
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To err is human. Mistakes are part of our daily life as we are prone to them. Mistakes are also referred to a teaching that makes the doer learn not to repeat it. Apart from being life-learning lessons, students can avoid common mistakes in academics by understanding them. A closer look at mistakes will assist students to manage their mistakes more intuitively.

According to Eduardo Briceno, the Co-founder & CEO of Mindset Works, an organization dedicated to learning and education, mistakes can be of four types depending on how a student does it or what circumstances made the person to do it. Mistakes that happen when we try to do something that is beyond our capacity and mistakes that happen after achieving what we want to do, but realize the inadequacy of the solution later are the first two kinds. Another is the mistake that occur due to lack of concentration over something we are well acquainted with. The last types are the ones that are associated with high stake damage or uncontrollable outcomes.

The first type, named as stretch mistakes are good for students. Top schools should actually encourage children ...
... to do such mistakes, because it means that they have tried to achieve something that is beyond their capacity. It means that they are trying to gain more knowledge and experience. Stretch mistakes also happen because students sometimes try to follow a different strategy to learn. Realizing a mistake after doing it can help us further if we contemplate on them and try to find the reasons. If a student is repeating the same mistake, it means that he lack concentration. To avoid this, change in the environment or the surrounding is necessary. The change instigates a different mindset and makes the student to concentrate better.

Sometimes, being too cautious can also lead to mistakes. Students, under a strong pressure of the situation may be stressed out and lose concentration. It is advisable that students should remain calm in such situation and carefully carry out the operations. For instance, exam panic may lead to underrated performance.

Mistakes can end with a positive note if we begin appreciating them. The fear of making mistakes is in fact; more precarious because it can lead to not even trying a task. The truth in the words of George Barnard Shaw that a person who made mistakes all throughout the life is much better than a person who has not tried to make one- is quite discernible.

The author is associated with Lancers International School. It is one of the best international schools in Gurgaon following International Baccalaureate curriculum.