[JustWrite] 10. Mistakes Are Appreciated

“Mistakes are always appreciated and accepted. It’s part of life and growing,” said Ms. Jayme Gomez from Lawndale High School, who is a mentor for the UCLA STEM+C3 program. Her words touched my heart so deeply that I felt an instant sense of relief.

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The concept of making mistakes is the complete opposite in Korea. I grew up hearing teachers say, “Never make a mistake. Your life will fail with just one mistake. Focus on everything! Get a grip!” That warning has followed me until now and made me constantly worry about what-ifs, especially about making mistakes.

Now I understand why so many Koreans lack confidence when speaking English . We’ve all been trained to fear mistakes. In Korean high schools, test scores determine everything, and grades are given on a relative scale. One mistake can lower your grade and change your future. As a result, many students are leaving school because they fear they won’t get into prestigious universities in Seoul.

If they had been taught that mistakes are a natural part of learning, I believe many would have chosen differently. Students and adults as well have the right to make mistakes because we are all human beings. Even robots make mistakes. Why do we expect people to be perfect?

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