It Will Go Wrong: Reflections on Growing through Failure as an Instructional Partner

Abstract

There were twenty-two students in the first course where I was trying my new research
workshop. By the end of class, just eleven students had responded to the first question
of the Padlet. The second question? Six. On question eight, only one student had
responded, and that student did not finish the remainder of the workshop. It was a catastrophic
failure, more than a little embarrassing, and absolutely essential to my growth as
a library instructor.
As instructional partners, this is one of the most daunting and challenging things librarians
can face. We often have to work hard to secure meaningful partnerships with our collaborating
departments, so taking a chance on a