No one lives their life without failure. It can be one of life’s harshest teachers, but also lives hand in hand with risk. In schools, we are often taught to avoid failure and play it safe. This shouldn’t be the case as in some cases, playing it safe could be a failure.
In my new book Ready,Set, FAIL! Using Failure and Risk-taking to Unlock Creativity, I share life stories about how risk-taking and failure has impacted myself and my learners. Besides my own stories, I pack in research and strategies for teachers and facilitators of professional learning to use in their own learning environment. Each chapter begins with a song lyric that speaks to me and the chapter purpose and ends with a poignant quote from people that have impacted my life. Within the book there is space for reflection on your own failures and personal growth. Below is a synopsis of the book as well as the table of contents
Synopsis:
This book is written as both a personal reflection and teaching tool. There are activities embedded throughout the book that can be used with learners young and old. Identifying barriers to risk and how to overcome them plays a large role in expanding our creativity and innovation. The process of embracing failure is not one to be taken lightly. Some of the strategies are as simple as changing how you ask questions in your classroom to creating design-thinking projects that are destined for failure. It’s through these strategies and concepts that we can create a true culture of innovation.
Table of Contents:
Foreword – Dr. Adam Phyall
Introduction
Chapter 1 – Why Failure is Important
Chapter 2 – Case Studies on Failure
Chapter 3 – Overcoming Barriers to Creativity
Chapter 4 – Resilience & Brain Plasticity
Chapter 5 – Creating a Culture of Innovation
Chapter 6 – Embedding Failure Into Teaching
Chapter 7 – Agency, Modeling and Reflection
Chapter 8 – Additional Activities to Embrace Failure
I want to thank all the people in my life that made this book possible. From my parents believing and supporting me to the unnamed bosses that provided obstacles for me to creatively overcome. I also want to thank the folks over at XFactorEDU for taking a risk and publishing this project that has literally been a lifetime in the making.
Ready?
Set.
FAIL!
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