As educators, we are all aware of the importance that frequent successes play in student (as well as teacher) development, so it is ironic, or at least counter-intuitive, the just-as-essential role played by frequent failures. When failures are seen as wholly negative evidence of incompetence, students are apt to either give up at the first mistake or, worse still, to avoid trying without step-by-step, lead-by-the-nose guidance. In fact, as innovative industries and professional athletes have known forever, it is through mistakes and experimentation where true growth and learning occurs. It is not a mistake that the first Math Practice Standard is about perseverance. Erring and trying again is the very essence of grappling. The job of the teacher, then, is to create a classroom atmosphere where risk-taking is encouraged and failures are de-stigmatized. 

In his book, Freedom to Fail, Andrew Miller recommends that teachers decorate their classroom with positive messages that remind students that mistakes and failures are not ends, but rather vital steps towards success. He advises that teachers make explicit the expectation for wrong answers and missteps in the problem-solving process and when the class experiences a large failure such as poor performance on a test, that the teacher leads the class in a discussion designed to help them process the failure experience--what they can learn from it and what the next steps are towards their ultimate goal of success. Miller's message can be extended to ALL students, including student and beginning teachers. His practices provide excellent guidance for the Administrator or Coach.