Mistakes are meant to be made.
We all make mistakes. Sometimes they have disastrous consequences. Sometimes they are nothing more than a language mistake.
We are meant to learn from our mistakes, and from the mistakes of others. If we do not talk about our mistakes, someone else might make them in the future. After all we are meant to learn from the past, that includes the mistakes that were made in the past.
I am scared of making mistakes. I suppose we all are. But the fear of mistakes can petrify us, keep us from daring to do things, to progress in life.
Trying to avoid mistakes at all costs can lead us into inactivity, which might actually be the greatest mistake of all.
When I was in primary school, one of my teachers tortured us with what she called “mistake-reading”. Once someone made a mistake while reading out loud, we all had to tap on the table, this resulted in me making reading mistakes and being really nervous when reading out loud to anyone for a long time, except when I was babysitting.
I always try to encourage my students to not be scared of making mistakes, because that fear does not help when learning a language.
My fear of making mistakes kept me from writing more, especially in French.
I do know that I can only get better at writing if I do write.
Written by Solveig Werner
Solveig Werner 
What an awful primary teacher you had. That’s the worst kind of way to torture students because it will scar them for life or make them insecure. I’m glad you overcame that and now you are passing a better example to your students.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was horrible! I think she did not realise what she was doing to us. I did some acting in high school and that did help me a lot, as well as a teacher who noticed that I had a problem and asked me why. His questions led me to find the root of the problem.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So it went on for years? Well I’m glad that teacher in high school helped you 😃
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well I was uncomfortable reading out loud in front of a classroom, thus making sooo many mistakes. But yeah I had a great teacher who took me aside and asked where the problem came from.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So true! We learn through our mistakes and it’s too bad that teachers and people in general give more importance to mistakes than accomplishments. Keep going with your French, which is excellent.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLike
I totally see that–fear of making mistakes in French! Especially being a native English speaker, I always worry that my French sounds horrible (and I’ve been told that it’s hard for an English speaker NOT to sound horrible in French). It has crippled me and I’m still trying to get a grip on that mistake fear.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Don’t worry, French people are really nice when you try to communicate with them in French, they always appreciate the effort and many will help you overcome your mistakes.
They too tend to have a hard time with English, especially because they do not dare to use it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, but almost any accent sounds beautiful and sexy in English, ha ha!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
Definitely agree with the other comment, your teacher shouldn’t have made students feel so pressured and nervous it creates a negative learning environment. A gentler approach would’ve probably worked better. Wholeheartedly agree that it’s necessary to constantly write and be willing to make mistakes for us to grow as writers, every mistake is a valuable lesson
LikeLiked by 1 person
We were 8 and 9 years old at the time and it left some scares for quite a few years, I do suppose that I was not alone, after all we were so stressed that we continuously made mistakes.
I think that once we know that we made a mistake, we are less likely to repeat it in the future.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Shame that they put you through that so young during something that’s supposed to be fun like learning. I agree that once we have made a mistake and we identify why it was a mistake and what we can do to correct it, we’re far less likely to repeat it I hear all of that. Mistakes are a vital piece of the learning process properly approaching them is of deep importance
LikeLiked by 1 person
I tell my students that until they make a mistake (especially in math!) they don’t learn anything. We learn through our mistakes. Great post, thanks.
Laura
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are welcome. I do thank you too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bonjour! I found your blog on the A to Z site! How fantastic that you blog in three languages! I sometimes write in two, trying to be fearless to make…err…Mistakes in my second one, which is French 🙂 Great post and I can hardly wait to read more of your site!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bonjour, j’ai regardé ton blog une ou deux fois pendant le challenge. Thanks for stopping by and following. Now that I have another follower who reads in French I do have to post some more in French I guess, no more excuses…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Merci Solveig. I look forward to your future French posts 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person