Walk into any staffroom during an inset day and you’ll likely hear a lot about what works.
Colleagues share PowerPoints with polished slides, discuss behaviour strategies that “changed everything,” and present examples of model student work that showcase transformation. And don’t get me wrong — that’s valuable. We all want to improve our craft, and learning from what works is essential.
But here’s the thing: sometimes, it feels like we’re all quietly competing to present our teaching highlight reels. And while best practice has its place, I’d argue we’re missing something just as — if not more — important: failure.
Teaching Isn’t a Showreel
Let me tell you about one of my biggest teaching flops.
It was early in my career, and I was buzzing with the idea of using drama to teach the causes of World War I to a bottom-set Year 9 class. I had slides, costumes, even cue cards for key historical figures. In my head, it was going to be Hamilton meets Horrible Histories — engaging, informative, unforgettable.
Instead, it was chaos.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand ended up “accidentally” shot five times by three different students. Germany declared war on the wrong country. Half the class were sword-fighting with rulers, and one earnest student kept insisting that the real cause of the war was aliens. The learning intention was completely lost. I left the lesson feeling embarrassed and defeated, convinced I had failed not just the lesson, but the class.
But here’s the thing: I learned more from that lesson than from any of my more successful ones.
Failure Is Not Weakness — It’s Feedback
Teaching is one of the most complex jobs there is. Every day involves hundreds of micro-decisions, shifting dynamics, and unpredictable factors. No matter how experienced or enthusiastic you are, some lessons just won’t land. Some strategies that sound brilliant in theory fall flat in the classroom.
That doesn’t mean you’re a bad teacher. It means you’re a reflective one.
When we reflect on what didn’t work, we gain more insight than from just repeating what did. Failure forces us to analyse, tweak, and reconsider — often in real-time. That’s where real professional growth comes from.
The Problem With Only Sharing Success
In a professional culture that only celebrates the best bits, there’s a danger. Early career teachers, in particular, can end up feeling isolated, inadequate, or disheartened. They see polished examples in training or online, compare them to the chaos of their own classrooms, and wonder, Why can’t I do that?
The truth is, even the most experienced teachers have tough lessons, disengaged classes, or detentions that feel like déjà vu.
If we only ever talk about what went well, we create a myth of mastery — as if the goal is to reach a level where everything works all the time. But that’s not reality. And it’s not the kind of environment that encourages honest reflection, innovation, or professional trust.
Creating a Culture Where It’s Safe to Fail
So how do we shift this?
We start by modelling it ourselves. That might mean saying in a department meeting, “I tried something new with my Year 10s this week and it totally tanked — here’s what I learned.” It might mean sharing a blog post that reflects not on your best lesson, but your most teachable failure.
It might mean asking colleagues, “What’s one thing that didn’t go well this term?” and building trust through honesty.
These small changes matter. They give permission for everyone — from ECTs to senior leaders — to be learners again.
Teaching Is Messy — and That’s Okay
The truth is, teaching isn’t a perfect science. It’s a messy, human, improvisational art. Some days we nail it. Other days, we’re metaphorically shot five times by students pretending to be Gavrilo Princip. But both days are valuable. Both are part of the craft.
By sharing not just our best practice, but also our honest practice, we support each other more deeply. We build a culture where reflection matters more than performance. And we remind ourselves — and each other — that great teaching isn’t about never failing. It’s about learning forward, again and again.
Further Reading
Chartered College of Teaching – Reflective Practice Guide
Authoritative UK source on why reflection (including failure) matters in teacher development.
