Typically, students think of failing as a bad thing. We should try to get good grades and not do anything wrong. However, according to Dr. Carol Dweck, failing is an important part of the learning process. In an exclusive interview with Silvia Ouellette, LSM Vice Principal, she clarified why failing is not a bad thing.

Striding in with a smile on her face and clutching a copy of Dweck’s book, Mindset: the New Psychology of Success, the vice principal was happy to relay interesting details on this topic. She explained that if you have a fixed mindset your outlook is that “your brain is your brain…” that’s it, and we can’t change it. However, studies conducted by Dweck prove what Ouellette promises next, “Your brain is very malleable,” and can easily absorb new knowledge if exercised.

Ouellette described an experiment detailed in Dweck’s book in which children were given the same tasks to complete, and received different praise. One group was told that they were really good at the task. These subjects didn’t want to progress or try harder tasks, to risk getting a worse score. Another group was told they must have worked hard at the task. These “effort praised” subjects chose to attempt harder tasks. As Ouellette explained, “It takes effort and hard work to achieve goals… you just need that resilience and tenacity.”

When faced with hard times, struggling in a class or at sports, Ouellette stressed, “You’re not there ‘yet.’” Because sometimes we need to work extra hard to become good at something we may just have to keep trying. According to Dweck’s proponents, even if students get a bad grade but try, it can be a powerful learning experience.

“The “A” isn’t the reward,” Ouellette said, “It’s the learning.”

In an interview with LSM History teacher, we learned Josh Krampitz agreed that learning takes precedence over grade.

“I think…we tend to learn more from our failure than our success,” he said, adding: “I think it’s a very good way of looking at how there’s always potential for growth and improvement, not get discouraged by setbacks… you have to be willing to make mistakes, go out on a limb, and be willing to learn more.”

After all is said and done most of us will agree that in order to achieve our goals, we must, as the saying goes, “take the bad with the good.” In other words, “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” The next time you don’t get the grade you hoped for, don’t worry- failure is an opportunity!