Helping Children Overcome the Fear of Failure

Building An I Can Invent Mindset and Learning That Failure is Part of the Creative Process

Within the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields, which have historically produced the world’s most impactful innovations, setbacks and failure are common occurrences. This is not unexpected, as individuals and teams working in these areas are compelled to find solutions that are unknown and challenge the status quo.

Therefore, for educators seeking to prepare their students to use STEM-related skills in their future careers and throughout their adult lives, helping them use setbacks as opportunities can prove to be extremely beneficial.

This paper explores the benefits of reframing failure as simply a part of the learning process. Highlights include:

• Actionable strategies teachers can use to help their students embrace and learn from their mistakes.
• How the I Can Invent^® Mindset can help students understand that setbacks are simply a part of the creative process.
• Inspirational quotes from innovators and inventors about overcoming adversity.