Risk and its rewards: how teachers can help students take creative leaps

The case for risk in childhood is well established. Research from the UCLA Center for the Developing Adolescent shows that the willingness to approach new and uncertain situations is a fundamental part of how young people build their identity, and prepare for adult life. During adolescence in particular, our brains are wired to seek out new experiences. That sensitivity to reward, to novelty, to the thrill of the unknown, is the mechanism through which young people discover who they are and what they are capable of.

Healthy risk-taking, the kind that involves uncertainty rather than danger, allows young people to become more autonomous and develop their own values and beliefs. In Tim Gill's influential work No Fear: Growing Up in a Risk-Averse Society, he argues that overly protective adults may be denying children the experiential learning they need to grow into confident, resilient adults.

However, modern life is going in the opposite direction. Children's lives are structured and supervised more than ever. Many curriculums are no exception, and in a context where everything is optimised for success, taking risks starts to feel too, well, risky. Teachers can play a powerful role in countering that impression at every stage of education. Here’s how you can encourage your students to take risks at every age:

Early years education: making mistakes feel safe

At this age, taking risks should be playful and low-stakes. Young children learn by doing, by getting things wrong, trying again, and finding out what happens next. Teachers have an important role in nurturing and encouraging that instinct.

Celebrate the attempt, not the outcome

In the early years, the most important message a teacher can give is that trying is what counts. This means praising the process, the effort, or the idea. When a child gives a wrong answer in class, treat it with curiosity: "That's an interesting idea, what made you think that?" rather than a quick correction. Over time, this builds the belief that having a go is always worthwhile, even when it doesn't work out.

Build in open-ended tasks

Young children thrive when there is no single right answer. They have more opportunities to take risks during activities where they have a lot of agency: choosing their own materials, telling their own stories, or solving a problem in whatever way makes sense to them. Art, construction, role play, and collaborative storytelling are all examples where children are able to take risks and learn from them.

Read more about how art supports student wellbeing.

Primary into secondary: expanding their comfort zone

As children move through primary and then secondary school, risk becomes more social and intellectual. They are more aware of what their peers think of them, and the fear of getting something wrong in front of others can become a real barrier for some students. So, teachers need to think about how to create the conditions where taking a risk is part of the process

Normalise failure as part of learning

One of the most effective things you can do as a teacher can do is talk openly about failure - yours included! Share a time you got something wrong. Discuss how scientists, writers and designers all work through repeated failure before reaching something that works. Consider introducing a regular "what didn't work this week and what I learnt from it" moment, either individually or as a class. Discussing failure openly as part of a learning process shows students that it’s not something to fear.

Learn more about embedding a growth mindset in the classroom.

Use drafting as a risk-taking tool

Many students play it safe in written work, but framing a first version as a “draft” can change that. When students know that their first attempt is just a starting point, they are more likely to try something they’re not as sure about: an unusual structure, more advanced vocabulary, an idea they're not sure will work. Peer response sessions, where classmates give structured feedback before a final draft, reduce the stakes and encourage experimentation.

Upper secondary: building intellectual courage

By the time students reach GCSE level and beyond, risk-taking becomes more nuanced. At this stage, taking intellectual risks looks like defending an unpopular argument, pursuing a line of enquiry while knowing it might be a dead end, challenging accepted perceptions. These are the skills that universities and employers are looking for, and the skills that a heavily exam-focused environment can squeeze out. So, what can teachers do?

Reward original thinking, not just correct answers

In essay-based subjects, students learn to write what they think the teacher, or the mark scheme, wants to see. Countering this means valuing and rewarding original or unexpected arguments, even when they are imperfect. Consider adding "most interesting idea this week" as a category in verbal feedback sessions. In discussion, push back on safe answers: "That's a solid point, but what would someone who disagrees with you say?" Creating space for intellectual dissent teaches students that their own thinking has value.

Introduce real-world stakes

Presenting work in front of an audience is something that even adults can struggle with. It can feel vulnerable and exposing - but taking that leap builds courage for the next time. So, students this age will benefit from tasks where their audience extends beyond the classroom; a debate with another school, a submission to a writing competition, a project shared publicly online. They will have more confidence in taking risks, as well as building their emotional resilience.

Find out more ways to build resilience in your students.

The bigger picture

Encouraging risk in the classroom is about building the conditions in which ambitious, original thinking can happen. Students who never experience the discomfort of uncertainty, who are only ever asked to produce the right answer in the right format, will not prepared for higher education or a job market that requires adaptability, creativity and resilience. The classroom is one of the best places to start building those qualities, and encouraging students to take risks.