036: Embracing Mistakes: A Conversation with Marc Seigel

In this episode of Blue Glasses Math, I sit down with Marc Seigel—STEM educator and high school chemistry and design teacher—to talk about the power of mistake-making in learning. From flaming Doritos to balloon experiments that didn’t go quite as planned, Marc shares how he creates hands-on spaces where students feel safe to take risks, try new things, and grow from every misstep.

We dig into how something as simple as a whiteboard can free students from fear, how assessments can be reimagined to support learning over perfection, and how Marc’s daily practice of posting quotes outside his classroom has had an incredible ripple effect on the school community.

Yes, we talk about science—but this conversation is really about trust, courage, and building a classroom culture where students learn to be thinkers, not just answer-getters.