The Right to Make Mistakes. How Do Teachers’ Beliefs Shape Pedagogical Decisions?

Abstract

The article presents an analysis of primary school teachers’ beliefs about the role of error in the educational process and identifies strategies that contribute to fostering a positive error climate in the classroom. The study encompasses a theoretical review of the concepts of error culture and error climate, as well as an empirical part involving in-depth interviews with teachers from Moscow schools. The results reveal a dual understanding of errors among teachers: while they acknowledge the learning potential of errors, in practice they tend to minimize the occurrence of student errors and rely predominantly on intuitive strategies, leading to a discrepancy between their declared beliefs and actual classroom practices. The study employed a theoretical framework combining self-determination theory and the concept of negative knowledge, along with a thematic analysis of data obtained through semi-structured interviews. It was found that the use of supportive strategies lays the foundation for a positive error climate, whereas controlling strategies and the lack of systematic work limit the use of error as a resource for development.