How do we cultivate a shared school culture given that students move between multiple classrooms, teachers and different sets of expectations every day. This is where individual classroom practice becomes a collective responsibility, and where consistency between teachers can make it possible for everyone—learners and educators—to succeed. Changing the culture of a school where opting out or perfectionism has become normal may seem like a daunting task, but the benefits of doing so can ripple through the lives of students and teachers alike.

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Learning requires (more than) a little vulnerability. There is no serious version of learning that eliminates the possibility of being wrong. This is why Doug Lemov’s work on a Culture of Error is so important. The goal is to establish a classroom where errors can be surfaced, examined and corrected because students understand that being wrong is a normal and productive part of getting better. Unfortunately, dual competing cultures of Perfectionism and Opting Out are prevalent in childhoods today, and these can undermine our attempts to foster growth and persistence. It’s critical to remember that being wrong isn’t the opposite of learning. Very often, wrong is part of the journey towards right.

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