It’s so popular to say, “Take a risk.” It’s even popular to talk about how risk-taking fits into the classroom. We want to build schools and classrooms where students feel they can take risks. Try new things. But, then? We have expectations. We want teachers to be doing things. Great things. Things that we know work and will continue to work. Trying things like Project Based Learning, open-ended inquiry, new technologies to integrate. But the path to better teaching and learning, is it really a smooth street with no speedbumps? Nope. Are we supporting people in how to move past those speedbumps, learn from them, and keep going? Or are we saying we want risk taking, innovative teaching, and then shocked when there are speedbumps? If we truly want our kids to take risks in learning, then we need to support teachers, and each other, in being lead risk-takers. Going out on a limb. Exploring a new way of doing something. Not because it will be smooth. Because it’s the road to something better. And, it’s the only way to get there.