Guest post from Mote Ambassador Leader Brittany Horn, instructional technologist in NISD.
“Every mistake is an opportunity to make something beautiful” -Barney Saltzberg
In Lindsey Moss's art class at Roanoke Elementary, students from third to fifth grade are not just creating artwork; they are bringing it to life through the use of Mote! This project (inspired by Barney Saltzberg’s Book “Beautiful Oops), begins with students revisiting their art portfolios, specifically selecting a piece where they encountered a creative hiccup—an "oops." Students capture a picture of their artwork within Google Slides, point out the oops, and then use Mote to explain their mistake and how they made it into something beautiful. Mote allows students to explain their artwork and share their personal feelings during the process. Aanya (fifth grade student) points out, “If you just look at a piece of artwork, you don’t see the mistakes. Mistakes usually aren’t showcased.”
Lindsey Moss guides her students in cultivating a growth mindset and emphasizes the importance of resilience. At the end of this activity, the class has a collection of slides showcasing each student’s oops and their personal voice notes. Aanya adds “If we just typed, it wouldn’t be the same. Mote allows us to express ourselves. Mote allows me to share my voice and how I felt during the oops.”
Click to Listen to Aanya’s Example:
These presentations are not confined to the classroom; they will be proudly displayed for the school and visiting family members to witness. Through this ongoing project, students learn the value of choice, perseverance, and the beauty that can emerge from embracing and learning from mistakes.
Snag Your Beautiful Oops Template HERE
Mote’s NEW Audio Translation Feature allowed Mrs. Moss and Mrs. Horn to provide instructions to Spanish speaking students at our bilingual campus. Don’t forget to check out this latest update!
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