Sam Baule writes of three ways to engage students in productive struggle in an eSchool News column. Baule is a medical student at Marian University.
“The issue is not just that K-12 education lacks challenging work; it’s that the system actively discourages failure. Homework is often designed to be simple, easily completed, and graded primarily for completion rather than mastery… The pressure to get everything right in K-12, combined with the increasing competitiveness of academic environments, has contributed to widespread cheating, an issue that has only been exacerbated by advancements in generative AI and online learning.
“A common theme in my college coursework was the emphasis on application and difficulty. I can’t recall a single homework assignment that was easier than a test question. The homework was intentionally challenging, often requiring problem-solving beyond what was covered in lectures. It was assumed that students would struggle. The struggle was the entire point. Unlike high school assignments, which often consisted of repetitive, simple problems that could be completed in under an hour, college homework demanded creative thinking, persistence, and resilience.
“This experience stood in stark contrast to my K-12 education, where everything was graded, and the expectation was to get as many correct answers as possible. The emphasis on grades instead of growth fostered a fear of failure, making students hesitant to take risks. Because failure was so rare in primary and secondary education, many students experienced their first true academic challenges in college, often with devastating effects. Those who had never learned how to struggle through difficult material suddenly found themselves unable to cope, leading to a general sense of academic unpreparedness.
“What happens when we give students opportunities to struggle and fail productively? We create better learners. Students develop a more realistic understanding of their own abilities and begin to appreciate the process of learning rather than just the outcome. A teacher’s role is not just to impart knowledge but also to teach students how to learn. By introducing challenging assignments that require deep engagement, teachers can help students build the mental resilience necessary for future academic and professional success.
“Implementing failure in the classroom isn’t about making school harder for the sake of difficulty–it’s about making learning more meaningful. By embracing this shift, educators can help students develop the perseverance and intellectual resilience they need to thrive, not just in college, but in every aspect of their lives,” Baule concludes.
eSchool News
