Minneapolis Institute of Art
I do think just by talking about it [failure], you’re much more aware of how you are handling it at the moment. The camera also helps make you more aware of how you’re handling it. We didn’t have a lot of opportunities to measure it against, but it certainly made them [teaching artists] more aware of the things they said or did or didn’t do. I think it just raised awareness – it is super important! (Leader, Year 1)
What is Failure
“F”-ailure is not meeting a standard of excellence, often set by those who are not a part of the same group being evaluated. It is fueled by the fear and comparison of what we think is the idea of perfection or excellence. “f”-ailure is minor, acute learning moments that do not work in the moment. There may be a lack of follow through, inaction, or completion based on fear or uncertainty.
failure-based activity
Mia conducted their PD Cycle with different online programs. One was papier-mâché paste in which artists learn how to make papier-mâché paste to design their own creations.
One Failure Moment or Challenge
One of the most challenging aspects of this project was working with educators who varied widely in age, socioeconomic background, and technical literacy. As a result, only a few were able to successfully film, and some educators chose to film themselves instead of children. In hindsight, we recognized that we could have done a better job of setting expectations—both for how much footage they were expected to capture and what kinds of clips would be most useful. We also suspect that some educators simply forgot the filming expectations, as this responsibility was one of many competing demands on their time.
About us
Inspiring wonder through the power of art. The Minneapolis Institute of Art enriches the community by collecting, preserving, and making accessible outstanding works of art from the world’s diverse cultures.
