Failing Successfully

I’m in a room full of strange faces. Correction, I actually know one person and have digitally met everyone else.  It’s my first face-to-face, day one, of Cohort 21. I’m really excited but it also feels a little like being a fish out of water. I’m here because I want to be innovative. I want to be that amazing teacher students never forget. I want to that colleague that your coworkers turn to.  I want to make it through the day.

After the intro and a quick energizer we form a small group and start on our first ‘task’. I’m quickly realizing and being encouraged to think anything is possible and to be flexible in my approach (and thinking). What I think I want to gain from the experience could change, and that’s ok. Part of our small group conversation is on of our biggest teaching fails. For me that was only a couple of weeks ago. I was so married to an idea that I wasn’t willing to be flexible by adjusting the process or even just starting over. My students were confused, and the result showed in less than stellar artwork. Like not even a little stellar.  My group is great at sympathizing and encouraging me. I had a fabulous failure. I took a risk and it did not work. Now I know what I did wrong and what I can do to change it for next time. What a great opportunity to learn and try again!

I’m quickly beginning to realize that for the next year this group, this cohort, is going to grow into a team. My cohort is already becoming an amazing resource who are cheering for me to fail so that I can learn and succeed.

I don’t have to be all those things I thought I wanted to be, I just have to keep trying and taking risks.