Thankfully, the answer is “YES!”
It’s been awfully dull around here, even though I had made a promise to myself and to my readers this summer that I’d invest more time and energy in this blog. I’m one of those perfectionist types; it definitely serves me well in some areas (like quality control of my work!), and not so well in others. This blog is a great example of where perfectionism nips a potentially fruitful project in the bud. I need to allow myself some room to feel bumbly and un-perfect before I become skilled at it… otherwise I’ll never allow myself to begin!
As a matter of fact, I’ve been meaning to post an article on this very subject for a while titled “What If The Secret to Success Is Failure?” by Paul Tough. I stumbled across it on the education blog Classroom as Microcosm – which you should check out and follow! – and it provoked much thought for me. As the article points out, our contemporary educational system doesn’t put that much emphasis on effort, especially if the result of that effort is a less than perfect attempt at completing an assignment or learning a new skill. However, our very ability to improve and expand our sense of self is contingent on these failures. If we’re standing in an unfamiliar and darkened room, we need to bump into walls in order to know its shape; likewise, failure teaches us the outer edges of our ability, our likes and dislikes, and spurs us to think creatively about different ways to approach our challenge.
More on this later. I’m in love with this subject, and strive to infuse an emphasis on effort and the value of failure in my violin teaching.
Hope you’re all having a cozy evening – here in MD it’s finally feeling like winter!!
