How can we make risk a normal part of learning?

Astro Teller runs Google's X program. Essentially it's a moonshot factory where innovators are rewarded for having the guts to pull the plug on projects they think will fail. In fact, they are rewarded for taking risks and then acknowledging that they just aren't going to pan out. Furthermore, it is in these moments of recognition that those moonshot ideas are just not going in a direction they were initially meant to go, that sometimes, the most innovative solutions come about.  Sounds like an amazing place to work and learn.

What if we could take this mentality and incorporate it into our classrooms? On tonight's #TEDEdChat, educators from around the world discussed this very question and came up with a number of interesting solutions and possibilities. Check out the archive of tonight's chat and see what ideas you can incorporate into your practice. Of particular use is the "Questions and Answers" tab. Here you will find the guiding questions for today's chat and the chat participant's responses to those questions. There is good stuff here, so I hope you take a minute to scroll through!





If you are interested in having your students pursue Astro Teller's ideas further, here is the framework for a TED-Ed Lesson based on his talk.  The unexpected benefit of celebrating failure.  Feel free to share this lesson with everyone you know. You can easily customise it to suit your student's needs. If you just want to view Astro Teller's talk, here it is:

Together, let's re(vision) how our students look at risk.