Ancora imparo: I'm still learning

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Leaders, Teachers, let me ask you some questions...
  • When did you last admit that you had made a mistake?

  • When did you last own a failure and discuss it with the people most affected?
  • When did you allow someone to show you that you had got it wrong, then stop and change direction?


There is a popular tale that the great Renaissance master, Michelangelo, scribbled the phrase Ancora imparo alongside a sketch he was working on, deep into his 80s. This creative genius - sculptor, painter, architect, poet, and engineer - supposedly recognised that, despite his many achievements, he was "still learning".

At the other end of that lifelong process, my little one reminded me one day that she couldn't possibly be held accountable for the mess she was making, because "I'm still learning, Daddy". It was humbling to be reminded that she had yet to learn the very lesson that was causing me become frustrated. Even more so that she helped me realise that I didn't actually need to be frustrated, it was not a big deal. Ah, such wisdom!

When teaching Student Teachers, we try to impart this same mindset. My colleague reminds the class regularly that in their student year (and potentially probation too) they have a "puppy pass", meaning they shouldn't be afraid of asking silly questions or making mistakes, because it is key to learning.


In Finland, failures are celebrated every October 13th - a chance to honour mistakes and look to learn from them. The day was devised by Aalto University to help build entrepreneurial spirit by making failure something to celebrate rather than fear. In the tech world, startup founders that have failed are a far more valuable proposition to future investors than people with big ideas that have never tried to launch.

Given our profession, we - teachers and leaders - must get better at embracing failures as learning opportunities. We must build a culture where, even if just on one day a year, we can all proudly declare, Ancora Imparo, I am still learning.

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