17
Learning to learn lessons: learning from mistakes
Textbook pp. 41–44
GoalUnderstand that making mistakes is natural and that mistakes teach us.
New words
mistake · xatodiscouragement · tushkunlikpractice · mashq
Explanation
Everyone who learns something new makes mistakes. A child learning to ride a bicycle loses balance at first, but after practising every day rides with ease. There is no need to fear mistakes; what matters is to notice and correct them. A mistake is a sign that shows us what to improve. When we feel low, it helps to remember things that were hard before and are easy now. Hard tasks sharpen our mind. Only someone who never tries anything never goes wrong.
Worked examples
“The writing book”. Hilola practised neat handwriting for the first time. On the first page she wrote many letters crookedly and wanted to close the book. Then she opened last year’s notebook: her writing had been even worse then. Hilola picked up the pen again and wrote a page every day. Within a month her writing started to come out even.
Class activity
“Book of mistakes”: each child writes one mistake they made (without a name) on a slip and below it “What I learned”. The teacher reads the slips and the class applauds.
Practice
1
Why is making mistakes natural when learning something new?
Because something we have not done before does not go well at once
2
What helps when we feel discouraged?
Remembering things we couldn’t do before but now manage
3
Explain in your own words: “A mistake is a sign that shows what to improve.”
Answers will vary