Pre Survey

FINDINGS / Pre Survey

How do students feel about a classroom atmosphere that normalizes mistakes asopposed to one that does not?

Students often respond with negative emotions like embarrassment, frustration, or anxiety. Some feel confused and shut down, while others worry about being judged by their peers or feel like they just aren’t “math people.” These emotional reactions show how important it is to create a space where mistakes are seen as part of learning, not something to be ashamed of.

Seventeen students selected “Other – explain” as their response option but did not provide any additional explanation. As a result, their specific reasoning could not be analyzed further.

Many students experience negative emotions when making mistakes, suggesting that traditional classroom environments do not encourage mistake normalization.

Nearly half of students hesitate to share mistakes, indicating that many may feel unsafe or judged in classroom discussions.

Shows that while teachers promote learning from mistakes, a nearly equal number focus on correction, which may not create a fully mistake-normalizing environment.

Twenty-six students selected “Other – explain” as their response option but did not provide any additional explanation. As a result, their specific reasoning could not be analyzed further.

Suggests that while students recognize their mistakes as a valuable part of learning, but teacher classroom practices may not always align with this belief, which could impact their comfort level in making mistakes.

Suggests that most students lack confidence in participating when they are unsure, reinforcing the need for a classroom culture that normalizes mistakes.

Nearly 90% of students experience some level of nervousness when making mistakes, emphasizing the need for interventions that create a safe mistake-friendly learning environment.

More evidence is needed in this area

Shows that while most classmates do not react negatively, few students find their peers actively supportive, indicating a lack of encouragement in mistake-normalizing classroom culture.

Indicates that while most students attempt to learn from mistakes, a significant portion still feel frustration or embarrassment, suggesting a need for explicit strategies to help students reframe mistakes positively.

Shows that a large portion of students hesitate to ask questions when confused, which could be tied to fear of being wrong or classroom culture surrounding mistakes.

Reveals that a majority of students experience pressure to get the correct answer quickly, suggesting that a focus on speed rather than process may contribute to anxiety around mistakes.

Shows that while discussing mistakes helps some students feel comfortable, over half feel indifferent, suggesting that discussions alone may not be enough to change attitudes.

Suggests that most students recognize that mistakes contribute to learning, but frustration is a key barrier. Explicit strategies are needed to help students move past frustration to see mistakes as valuable.