Pencil mistakes erase; knowledge sticks.

When you make a mistake in class or at home, I want you to remember a small idea I tell my students: pencil mistakes erase; knowledge sticks. That means the scribble you wish you hadn't made can be rubbed away, but the learning you get from fixing it becomes part of you. I say this not to make things perfect, but to give you a compass when the work feels hard or embarrassing. Mistakes are tools, not traps — they show what you already know and what you’re ready to learn next.

Here are short, powerful phrases we use in our classroom to help you keep going and grow stronger when things don’t go right: - It’s okay — we’ll fix it together; Try one step at a time; Mistakes mean you’re learning; I believe in your effort; What can we learn from this?; Take a breath and try again; Asking for help is brave; Your best changes as you grow; You’re more than one answer.

I say those phrases a lot because words shape how you feel. When I say “Take a breath and try again,” I’m reminding you that your brain can calm down and start fresh. When I say “What can we learn from this?” I’m helping you think like a detective: not to blame yourself, but to notice clues about the next step. Saying “I believe in your effort” tells you I’m noticing how hard you’re working, not just whether your worksheet is perfect. These short phrases act like a teacher’s toolkit — small, repeatable ways to change the moment from scary into teachable.

We practice these ideas in simple ways. Sometimes we make a mistake on purpose and then talk about what happened and how we fixed it. Other times we write a tough word in pencil and deliberately erase it to show the eraser is part of learning. You’ll see me fix a problem slowly on the board, talking out loud about each choice I make. That helps you understand that adults also learn and that it’s okay not to know everything. We also celebrate when someone asks a question, because curiosity leads to practice and practice makes knowledge stick.

If you’re feeling stuck, remember to use those phrases with yourself — quietly or out loud. You can tap your desk, take a breath, or whisper “Try one step at a time.” Keep a small note in your notebook with a phrase that helps you. Over time, you’ll notice your mistakes don’t make you smaller; they make your thinking stronger. Pencil mistakes erase; knowledge sticks — and every time you try again, a little more of what you learn becomes part of you.