About This Lesson
Research finds that a fear of making mistakes can hinder academic success. Many students become so focused on avoiding errors that they don’t challenge themselves at school. Researchers from Columbia University reviewed numerous studies and found that when students make errors that are followed up with corrective feedback, they learn better and ultimately remember the correct answers long-term. This research suggests that parents and teachers should encourage and support low-risk mistakes and emphasize effort over ability. That means praising children for working hard, instead of getting the correct answer.
To learn more, watch the short news report below.