Try, Try, and Try Again

“Mistakes are proof that you are TRYING!”  

This quote is something I have been emphasizing daily in my Kindergarten classroom. Since it has barely been a month since school started, my students are still adjusting to what is expected of them at school, let alone learning academics. Most students in my class are starting completely fresh learning how to read and write, so it has been difficult to get them to see that learning something new takes time! Writing especially has been something we are struggling to find confidence for in Kindergarten. Many get frustrated quickly and say things like, “I can’t spell any words!” or, “I’m not good at writing!” These statements are very hard to hear as a teacher, as I want ALL of my students to believe in themselves and try their hardest when any obstacles are thrown their way.

Because of this, I’ve tried to find new ways to make writing more engaging and exciting for my students. We practice as a class how to sound out words that we don’t know how to spell. At this point in time, I am not looking for words to be spelled correctly, but rather just looking for them to TRY! This is a hard concept for them to understand, as they want their writing to be perfect, so frequently students are asking, “Is this right?” Rather than making sure our writing is “perfect,” I am encouraging students just to try and express themselves! If at this point they are more comfortable just drawing a picture of their ideas, that’s great! Spelling will come with time and practice, but I just want my students to understand right from the start that writing is about expressing your ideas, NOT about being “right.”

Something that is extremely important to building confidence in my little writers is allowing them to share their work. Students gain so much pride and confidence from being able to share their hard work with others, especially their peers. Knowing that they’re going to be sharing their work with their friends pushes them to try their hardest, and helps teach them to encourage each other in school. My favorite part about writing so far has been letting students present to the class in the “teacher chair.” Everyday, I have students either share their work with partners or in a small group, but every once in awhile, there is a student who really impresses me with either their hard work, determination that day, or their overall writing. When that happens, I allow them to sit in my rocking chair in front of the room and read their writing piece to the class. The student who gets to present just beams with joy, and the other students love to watch and enjoy the presentation. It makes me smile from ear to ear when I hear the encouraging words the students have for each other when one of their classmates gets to present their work. We are learning to be PROUD of our mistakes here in Kindergarten!

As a first-year teacher, sometimes I worry if I'm doing enough for my students, if they're succeeding like they should be, etc. Sometimes I feel that way, but then I receive writing pieces like these that remind me that I must be doing something right.