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“Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”

This phrase has been my personal motto for years. By the time I began my TESL practicum, I already believed that mistakes were not a sign of failure but a sign of learning in motion. I wanted my students to see that each stumble was a step forward.

During my placements, one in person at Malton Neighbourhood Services, and one online at the Welland Heritage Council, I carried this belief into my lessons. These were my very first times standing at the front of the classroom as the teacher. I thought I knew what it meant to welcome mistakes. What I did not realize was how hard it would be to extend that same grace to myself.  Continue Reading →