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by Dr. Debra Collins www.thewritedebracollins.com  Thomas Edison said, “When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this: You haven’t.” The Self-Awareness domain of SEL, includes knowing one’s strengths and limitations and developing an understanding that success requires struggle, effort, and willingness to try new strategies. Seeing mistakes and setbacks as part of learning is vital for developing a “growth mindset.” Failure becomes a motivator, rather than a stopping point.  With this in mind, let’s enter The School of Failure: A Story About Success, written by former CBA student Rosie J. Pova and illustrated by Monika Filipina (2022, Yeehoo Press). Reminiscent of the maxim, “Don’t let perfect get in the way of good,” this story shows that failure is not the enemy of success. We meet three characters who audition for roles in famous fairy tales. They all fail. Non-Evil Queen is unfit to play an antagonist for Snow White. Wolfred is too nice to be the bad guy in Little Red Riding Hood, and Zinderella does not please Cinderella’s produce. Each declares their failure is “the end of the world.” A fairy godmother announces that instead, the three are “beginning a brand new chapter” and promises that their dreams will come true once they’ve graduated from The School of Failure. As the three students suffer abundant setbacks, they are praised for persevering and “failing your way to fabulous.” The more they fail, the better they understand their strengths and goals. Ultimately, the Non-Evil Queen, Wolfred, and Zinderella learn to live “happily – and imperfectly – ever after.” It's worth noting that fear of failure can block creativity as well as perseverance. Along these lines, I remember sitting in a second-grade classroom during a reading comprehension lesson. A lively discussion of the story stopped when the teacher asked the students to describe the main character’s bedroom. The room fell silent. The story did not describe the main character’s bedroom! Not knowing a correct answer, no one would not risk an incorrect one. When the prompt was rephrased – “Based on what you know about the main character, what do you imagine his bedroom would look like?” – Hands went up, and the room filled with ideas.  As a school psychologist, I’ve written countless reports and presentations outlining challenges facing children and how to provide help and support. This required translating complex concepts of learning, social, emotional, and impulse-control difficulties into simple terms. My published work in that arena includes a relaxation-training curriculum, articles, and book chapters. My children's book manuscripts reflect the children I’ve assisted, my
New York/Jewish background (especially tales from my Dad's Brooklyn boyhood) and my quirky sense of humor. - Dr. Debra Collins Comments are closed.
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