FEEDBACK

The importance of feedback as a key to teaching and learning is somewhat obvious, well documented in the literature, as well as deeply embedded in teaching and leadership practice.  As the teaching profession is moving towards blended and remote teaching providing high quality effective feedback is becoming even more critical. When face to face one to one opportunities are somewhat limited, as it often happens in blended or remote teaching and learning, effective feedback must go beyond reviewing student work and providing next steps, it's about building the culture of respect, equity and evidence.  Providing feedback could be done in person, online and in a form of comments added to the student work. In any case, all comments about someone’s work must be grounded in specific and concrete evidence. Only when based on facts, rather than opinions, the feedback can be relevant and effective in improving teaching and  learning. When giving feedback, the following conditions should be observed.

  1. Effective feedback should be focused on the person, more specifically their learning and growth, not the end product. The product will improve as the person receiving feedback reflects on the evidence and grows in their practice. To that end, the person initiating the feedback cycle should emphasize the use of objective measurement tools (rubrics, checklists, work samples) in addition to  eliciting alternative perspectives from the person receiving . For teachers that would mean surveying students, for administrators that would mean surveying teachers and staff on what everyone agrees to be an objective measurement. Only when this agreement is reached, the feedback cycle can proceed.

  2. The questions raised during the feedback cycle should be focused not on the work but on the learning process.  Shifts in perspectives resulting from objective analysis and what learning products that will serve as evidence of learning moving into the future. This small and seemingly insignificant adjustment is very powerful as it shifts the focus towards the learner’s growth and developing thinking habits.

  3.  During the entire feedback cycle, the person initiating it 

  4. feedback cycle should think like a leader and the person you are communicating with is a volunteer. Accepting this    

  5.  Do some research to understand how the data you can see connects to underlining misconceptions. You are only seeing the tip of an iceberg and you should be aiming deep below the waterline. When in doubt re-read #1 and #2    

  6. Feedback should be immediate, specific and actionable. Think like a coach or a band director. It is easier to learn something than to unlearn something that became a habit. 

  7. You know that the interaction was successful if you see immediate change of behavior, change of attitude and eventually transformational change. When in doubt, re-read #2

  8. All children and most adults have a negative emotional reaction to negative statements, including the use of “but” after a positive comment. Stay as positive as you can to get positive results. When in doubt, re-read #1

  9. Always return to get feedback on your feedback. You are the lead learner in this equation.

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