Risk. Fail. Rise.: A Teacher’s Guide to Learning from Mistakes

by María Colleen Cruz

Mistakes are not the problem. The problem is the shame we attach to mistakes and inability to grow from them.

You have likely heard the adage, 'Everyone makes mistakes.' But what you might not have heard is that there are some predictable reasons why we make these mistakes. Knowing why we make mistakes can help us make fewer mistakes and ensure that when we do make mistakes they'll be more of the more useful variety.

In Risk. Fail. Rise. teachers will learn how to address their own teaching mistakes, model with their own mistake-making, and improve their response to others' mistakes. Colleen shares what research studies say on mistake-making as part of learning and what that means for teaching. She provides research, examples, and tools that help teachers destigmatize mistake-making so that they and their students can do the real work of growth.

The more aware we are of why we make mistakes, what we can do to avoid unnecessary ones, and respond to useful ones, the more our classroom will be a place of risk-taking and growth for all students. Lay the groundwork for a mistake- welcoming school culture and embrace positive risk-taking and productive failure in your classroom. The outcomes for you and your students are worth it.

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Adult

160 pages, Paperback

Published October 27, 2020

Reviews

[Sarah Krajewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am entering my 20th year in September, and I wish I would have had a book like this in my first year. This book reminds teachers that we are human, and thus make mistakes. All of us—students, teachers, and administrators—make mistakes, but it’s how we handle them that matters. Like our students, we need to learn to own up to them, and then make changes in the way we behave or how we teach to fix them. Apologies and discussions (both public and private) might be necessary. As a new teacher, I yelled at students. I’d often feel ashamed later, but rarely apologized. Owning up to our mistakes isn’t always easy, but it’s necessary. Necessary to building relationships and trust with both our students and co-workers.

A book with some important reminders for all teachers and administrators! This collection of essays can be read in order, or not. A cool teacher-version of a choose your own adventure book.

[Glenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having taught 38 years I know well the way mistakes among educators get handled, so I’m thrilled to see this practical analysis of common teaching errors and practical approaches to rising above them.

Teacher friends, get this book.

[Nawal Qarooni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating look at the types of mistakes we make and how to embrace them, particularly in front of kids in the classroom, in order to grow. And even more than that, how we can create spaces for highlighting, exalting and planning for mistakes (cultivating a "mistake-making culture"). I loved the way this book crosses into all parts of our lives and takes a whole person approach to the way educator belief systems affect what we do in the classroom. Cruz writes well across equity lines and calls out cancel culture in addition to the oppressive ways mistakes lead to different consequences for people of color. She looks at lack of self-care leading to sloppy mistakes, choices being made out of fear, and mistakes that we hold more tenaciously to while knowing we are wrong. Most importantly, it is only in the process of mistake-making and risk-taking that big beautiful learning, movements and unique discoveries arise. As educators (and parents! and partners!) we need to be more aware of the systems we uphold that do NOT welcome mistakes. There is good research for this across disciplines - with specific ramifications for educators and the classroom. Embrace mistakes in the classroom with explicit lessons; bring awareness to which mistakes we can learn from. Cruz shows us how.

[Cameron (readsandwritesbyc) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading for all teachers, pre-service and veterans alike!

[Hayley Rutherford · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was out of the norm for me, so I made sure I went into it with an open mind. I knew this wasn’t going to be a self-help type of book, but thought it would at least take how failing in the classroom can teach us common folk a thing or two about how failing in real life can be a good thing. More or less, it was a memoir about how Cruz teaches in her classroom and the struggles she faces as she tries to find a better way to teach children and get rid of standardized testing.

I was all in for the first third of the book, then she lost me. Cruz started off really strong by laying out what her book would be discussing in a way that made sense and painted a very strong argument for her case. She explained why she felt the way she does about mistake-based learning and I’ll admit that it’s not a suggestion I’ve heard of until this book but I was absolutely intrigued! I love how Cruz brought in outside help to illustrate her point by suggesting to readers and students alike watch the short film called Snack Attack. I have never seen it before, but I watched it before continuing listening and I was impressed with how she able to make me feel like she was talking directly to me and made the experience feel hands-on. We then get into what she calls essays, and that’s where she lost my interest and I became very confused about what exactly she was saying.

I have to say, if Cruz was my child’s teacher, it would not end up going well. In her classroom, she overshares her personal life. There was a bit in there about one of her students asking her to go to the basketball game after school and she said “sorry, I can’t go tonight. I made plans a week ago to have my parents come over and eat pizza and watch some movies and drink some wine, so I can’t go”. Why share the details? Why not just go ahead and say where you’re ordering the pizza from and what kind of wine you’re drinking? Hell, go ahead and tell the kids your parents’ names and address! A simple “sorry, I have plans tonight” would suffice! She also suggested other teachers to send home a questionnaire to have both students and their parents fill out. This survey would ask about self-care. On what world is self-care practices of students and their parents relevant information to teachers? It’s way too personal and doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Teach my child algebra like you’re paid to do and move on.

There was also a section about dealing with problems in a constructive way versus an unconstructive way. The problem was that was included in the book was this: two girls have been working for a few months on their science fair project. Each girl thought the other was responsible for turning the project in. On the day of the fair, they realize neither of them turned the project in and missed the deadline. Oh no! The “unconstructive” way to fix the problem was TO LET THE GIRLS SEE THE ACTIONS OF THEIR CONSEQUENCES. To not have their project in the science fair because they missed the deadline and there wasn’t time to have it set up. I mean, there’s a deadline for a reason. Cruz ACTUALLY said that having all their hard work go to waste and not having their project in the science fair was unconstructive. How?! The “constructive” way to fix the problem was to talk to the girls about their communication skill, get the parents involved and essentially turn them into helicopters, and tell the girls that things happen and allow their project be in the science fair. So… what’s the point of the deadline? So what if they worked hard? Other students worked hard as well and they also adhered to the deadline.
All in all, the two stars was for a great beginning before it just blew apart. I don’t think the title even comes close to letting readers know what the book was about. This was more about Cruz as a teacher- a biography- than it was about mistakes-based learning. There’s a solution to the problem that is the American school system, but this was not the solution.

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

To preface this review, I am not a teacher. But I am all for learning from mistakes and the authors middle name is the same as my first name, so I figured that this Risk. Fail. Rise. must be pretty good. 95%+ of this book had very valid points and suggestions.

This really confused me. In section 3 the Teacher Martyr makes more mistakes, avoids risks and observes less. The author has a disability and balances between stretches and exercise and needs to prioritize her health. When she ignored her own needs and focusing on the needs of her students (around 6:43 into chapter) the author found herself "crawling out of a NY subway train, across a platform to a bench". It was a busy work week, she was staying every night until 7pm, then getting home and not eating dinner until 9pm, she did this day after day for well "over a week" (really? aren't schools normally in session M-F?). No time (for over a week evidently) for healthy eating, stretching or exercise. At her subway stop her leg protested, she had no choice but to crawl (7:46 minutes) off the subway and other commuters helped get her to an emergency room. When I first listened I was confused. What? She said she crawled off the subway, continued abusing herself day after day, then her leg gave out and she crawled off the train again and ended up in emergency. Was the first mention of "crawling off the subway" an over-exaggeration? Or was the same story explained further and the story ended with the author "crawling off the subway and ending up in the hospital"? Probably the later. This section probably comes across better in written form than it did in the audiobook.

In the Epilogue the author says that NYC is the epicenter of a global pandemic. Could you please provide a reference/footnote for making that statement? Maybe between March-May 2020, NYC was the epicenter for the pandemic the US. How do you qualify where the epicenter is? What about Wuhan, China? There are many articles claiming covid epicenters and it doesn't seem to be unanimous.

This book came across as "preachy" (to me). I'm really not sure how you change the system, but I'm glad that this book might get people to start considering how.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and narrator M. Colleen Cruz and the publisher Heinemann Audio for the opportunity to review this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

[Carolyn Amate · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a young educator (although in training) newly entering a career in teaching, my past year in student teaching during the pandemic has been riddled with mistakes. To make matters worse, I suffer with self-deprecating thought patterns. I often fear that I am letting a student down or that I'm not going above and beyond as I should. I'm not sure how teaching has been done in the past, but the expectations for teachers in 2021 is extremely (and intimidatingly) high. Not only must we close the learning gap for struggling students and ensure every student has met and exceeded the learning standard, but we must provide daily adaptations and accommodations as needed. 


I failed at this. I should have done more.


But as M. Colleen Cruz puts it, mistakes expose what we must learn. It is the actions we take to correct or learn from the mistake that helps us to "rise". 


There are mistakes that range from being small and inconsequential to life threatening or harmful to others.  The important takeaway we educators need to do is to admit our mistakes and use it as a life lesson to the students. We need to admit, apologize and explain what a better response would have been. At the end of the day, you and your students will grow together because of it. 


Mistakes are just mistakes. It's how we respond to it and learn from it that matters.

[Cheryl Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Risk., Fail. Rise. Those are words that should guide all of us in our teaching (and our lives). In this brilliant book Colleen Cruz provides research, examples, tools and lessons to celebrate mistake-making while embracing those mistakes so that teachers and their students can do the real work of growth. Colleen shows us that the mistake is not the key, but it is the all important impetus that gives us insight into knowledge, abilities, purpose and what our next steps will be.

As a New York City retired principal, I would have loved to have this book for all teachers and staff members at to think, reflect and talk together. I have no doubt that our community would have engaged in thoughtful conversations and forged relationships that would lead to the most powerful, engaging and productive teaching and learning. And what could matter more than living what we teach children? That is reflecting on and learning from our mistakes is essential to grow as learners and as empathetic, compassionate human beings.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it front-to-back or essay by essay, in whatever order you’re moved to read them in. Whatever you do, don’t miss Essay 7, on fostering a learning culture through a mistake-welcoming classroom, or Cruz’s epilogue, which was composed in the midst of the quarantine and puts a lens on our collective experience that is redeeming. You can read this in a single sitting, but you’re going to want to keep it on the coffee table for dipping back into from time to time, to remind yourself many mistakes are only mistakes if we fail to learn from them. Cruz’s book shows us how to fail upward.

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this book (easy read over a few days) and it is one of the best books I've read in a long time. Colleen Cruz walks us through a series of essays that explore mistakes, why we make them, how we deal with them and how to create a mistake-welcoming classroom. This book will become a touchstone text in my office, for sure!

[Sara Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many thoughtful insights into how often we try to avoid admitting mistakes to our students and in general. Lots of ideas that challenge our usual ways of thinking as educators. The author encourages the reader to explore ways to celebrate mistakes and take real, honest accountability when we make a mistake or cause harm to others. Thank you for the inspiring read!

[Sarah Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up! This has completely changed my perspective on the day to day moments in my classroom!

[Mary Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the right book at the right time.

[Susan McGilvray · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found a few gems in this one but not as many as I'd hoped. We need a whole new grading system and I do not see that happening, unfortunately.

[Hanako · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found it quite interesting. Looking forward to book club about it on Thursday.

[Melissapalmer404 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author does a decent job narrating this book. It could be a useful resource for teachers.

[OjoAusana · Rating 4 out of 5]

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* great inspirational and motivating read for anyone to read not just teachers!

[Carmen]

Read passages for a educational program, a nice reminder that all classrooms should welcome mistakes and advice on how to turn them into opportunities.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Life is all about this. Teachers. Parents, community, union members read this.

[Leah Mode · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just okay. Nothing revolutionary in here, a lot of common sense. If you like Brene Brown, you've already thought about most of what was written in here.

[Asma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one interesting book! I think it is an important one mainly directed for teachers and educaters to how to embrace making mistakes and come out with the most beneficial outcome.
Not necessary for just teachers but parents could benefit from the ideas.

P.S. I received the audiobook thanks to Netgalley and the publisher in exchange of a review.

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mistakes are not the problem. The problem is the shame we attach to them and our inability to grow from them. Educators encourage students to take risks and make mistakes - after all true learning comes from mistakes. But our classroom environments and actions do not support the risk taking necessary for real learning. This book offer practical research-based ideas to shift the dynamic of our classroom to support the process of learning.

Definitely some important information, but it felt like something was missing.