Risk-Taking Exercise

In this segment, you will learn by doing. You will be asked to implement a tool or activity that you've been afraid to try with your students (or in your workplace). This is an opportunity to push beyond the limits of your comfort zone and induce a learning stretch in yourself. Just as new muscle is built when your muscles strain against resistance, so does new learning occur best if your mind is straining against resistance. Therefore, the consequences of failure in your effort should be significant—but not so much so that the endeavor could be considered foolish or risky. (Under no circumstances should you place yourself or anyone else in a dangerous situation for this exercise.)

You are being asked to try something new that makes you uncomfortable, but which has the potential benefit of a big payoff if it goes well. If, as an educator, you are to expect risk taking of your students and peers, you must be willing to take real risks yourself. If you commit to this exercise, it should help make you a better educator, whether the outcome is a "success" or "failure."

In order to leave more time for you to plan and implement this exercise, there is no additional reading or Key Information for this topic.