Introduction
High school students across the country struggle with the concept of failure as part of the path to success. I live and work in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I’ve lived here for 8 years, and worked in the heart of the city for 6 of those years. As a New York City native, I’ve also taught in a large urban school system that is both very similar and different from the Philadelphia school system. The struggles of the students are similar, especially at the middle and high school age. Students question themselves, their identities, and their belonging. They test their limits, strengths, and boundaries. High schoolers are eager to show their successes and hide their failures. Part of my goal with this unit is to show my students that they don’t need to conceal their failures, and in fact mistakes are something they should hold on to and celebrate. Instead, successful people use those failures to inform future decisions. I tell my students that failing is a part of the process and you can’t be truly great without failing sometimes.
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