If you fail, try, try, try again.

Lunch today was eaten in front of the school T.V. My CT turned on CNN and us teacher-bodies sat in silence glued to the words of President Obama. Though I did not agree with some of what he said, one of his first statements has not stopped replaying in my head:

There is NO excuse for not trying.

I could not agree more; there is no formal explanation for not making an attempt at something. No more is this try than in the classroom. I have seen it more and more in the past few weeks. Students will be asked a question and before a few seconds have passed they shrug their shoulders or say something such as "I dunno."
After prompting them and/or asking them what they think they at least try to give me an answer. Sometimes I feel like kids are afraid to even take a stab at a question for fear of being wrong (especially at an older age).
I hope I can provide a classroom environment that is a fearless, discussion based place that students feel they can at least try Though they may fail, they will have the tools to find the answers and one day be successful!