A recent article in an educational publication describes an exciting and revolutionary method of teaching mathematics. Students are encouraged to offer wrong answers.
Apparently, students nationwide are so afraid of making a mistake that they do not even attempt problems or answer questions in class. The study discussed in the article shows that creating an environment where students feel supported by their peers (in other words, they feel "safe") means that they try harder. Many students, and especially girls, may even try in mathematics for the first time.
What this "new" approach really means is risk-taking. Learning is taking risks - profitting from the successes and evaluating the failures so as to then take another risk. Without risks, there can be no learning.
IST believes strongly in risk-taking. An earlier discussion considered the importance of risks without danger. Falling off a scooter is positive. Putting a round peg in a scquare hole is constructive.
Of course, this does not justify wild guesses. The thinking behind the response is what matters : "Why do you think 4 x 3 = 9?" Process over product (pardon the pun).
These two steps are critical in education, learning, constructivism - in growing up. Risk-taking plus reflection, the core of the IST approach.
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