Look at the word “mistake’ — it is a “miss take”. There are 33 definitions for “take” in the American Heritage Dictionary online (not counting the sub-categories within those 33, another 6 definitions for the intransitive form of the verb, 8 plus sub-definitions for the noun; and a slew of verbal phrases such as: take in, take part, etc). The one that I have in mind is a popularly used slang form–as in, “Hey, I got it on the first take!” In this sense, it means attempt, try or, simply, do.
So to look at mistake from an educational point of view, it means that when I did something, I missed the mark. I need to do it again, and maybe again, for an indefinite number of “takes” until I’ve achieved mastery of it.
A mistake is often looked at negatively in our culture and in the way we use the word in our language. People are often so afraid to make a mistake that they are frozen into inaction. Or, if a mistake is made, they give up on a particular path, person, endeavor. Sometimes a person is so shamed by making a mistake that he or she feels diminished and the result is lowered self-esteem.
Historically, however, the normal natural human tendency to make mistakes has been recognized as part of a process. For instance, we have ‘rookies’ in baseball, and a minor league before one makes it to the majors. In craftsmanship their are apprentices, journeymen and masters. Mistakes are why pencils are made with erasers and there are delete buttons on the computer keyboard.
Making mistakes is an integral part of any human’s development.
For each mistake we make new information is added, experience is gained, and the next ‘take’ whether optimal or not is built on knowledge and understanding built by the “mistake”. When something is approached from this perspective, there cannot be too many “takes”.
Sometimes the child gets up, sometimes with our help and — BOOM! — the child falls down. Sometimes the infant cries; but most often it’s simply a look of surprise, and occasionally even delight. Sometimes the child will laugh.
I’m assuming that the infant does not represent this experience to himself as “failure” or “mistake”. It is simply an experience. The child stands again. Falls again. Stands again. Falls again. Over and over, until there are sufficient “miss-takes” that standing up is achieved. In its delight and with the passage of just of few moments, the child may once again succumb to the effects of gravity, all the while developing the necessary vestibular and proprioceptive awarenesses to maintain uprightness. After uprightness has been achieved and adequately maintained, the infant begins to step, and the whole falling down, getting up, doing it again process starts over.
It’s called LEARNING.
As a teacher, I have always encouraged my students to not only be willing to make mistakes but to also celebrate them.