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As teachers, it is essential to make the feedback process a positive, or at least neutral, learning experience for the student. In this historical period it is even more so.
Unfortunately, many students have negative “educational” experiences every day. Because some teachers think that giving feedback should be negative and corrective because this is the only way a student will learn.
As teachers, it is critical that the process of providing feedback is a positive, or at least neutral, learning experience for the student.
So what exactly is feedback?
Feedback is any response from a teacher regarding a student’s performance or behavior. It can be verbal, written or gestural. The purpose of feedback in the learning process is to improve a student’s performance, definitely not to slow it down. The ultimate goal of feedback is to provide students with an “I can do this” attitude.
Dig deep
When feedback is predominantly negative, studies have shown that it can discourage student effort and achievement (Hattie & Timperley, 2007, Dinham). As a teacher, it is easy to give encouraging and positive feedback most of the time.
However, it is at other times that we have to dig deep to find an appropriate feedback response that does not discourage the student from learning. This is where good teachers, the ones that students remember forever in a positive way, separate themselves from others.
A teacher has a specific responsibility to nurture a student’s learning and provide feedback so that the student does not leave class feeling defeated. Here are some ideas and techniques on how to give effective feedback that will make your students feel like they can conquer the world.
Student comments must be educational in nature
Providing feedback means giving students an explanation of what they are doing right and not what they are doing wrong. The focus of feedback should be based essentially on what the students are doing well. It is more productive for a student to learn when given explanations and examples of what is accurate and inaccurate in their work, rather than being criticized only for the negative, with no explanation.
Use the concept of “sandwich feedback” to guide your feedback: compliment, precision, compliment.
Student feedback must be provided in a timely manner
When student feedback is provided immediately after showing a learning test, the student responds positively and recalls the experience of what they learned safely. If we wait too long to give feedback, the moment is lost and the student may not link the feedback to the action.
Be sensitive to individual student needs
It is imperative that we consider each individual when providing feedback to students. Our classrooms are full of different students. Some students have to be pushed to a higher level and others have to be treated very delicately so as not to discourage learning and damage self-esteem. A balance is essential between not wanting to hurt a student’s feelings and providing adequate encouragement.
Ask the 4 questions.
Studies of effective teaching and learning (Dinham, 2002, 2007a; 2007b) have shown that students want to know where they are in relation to their work. Providing regular answers to the following four questions will help provide quality feedback to students. These four questions are also helpful when providing feedback to parents:
- What can the student do?
- What can’t the student do?
- How does the student’s work compare to that of others?
- How can the student improve?
Student comments should refer to a specific skill or knowledge
This is where rubrics become a useful tool. A rubric is a tool for communicating expectations for an assignment. Effective rubrics provide students with very specific information about their performance, comparable to a set range of standards. For younger students, try highlighting the rubric items the student finds or try using a sticker chart.
Provide feedback to keep students “focused” on success.
Regular check-ins with students let them know where they are in the classroom and with you. Use the “4 questions” to guide your comments.
Organize an individual meeting
Hosting a personal meeting with a student is one of the most effective means of providing feedback. The student will wait for attention and give you the opportunity to ask the necessary questions. An individual meeting should generally be upbeat, as this will encourage the student to look forward to the next meeting.
As with all aspects of teaching, this strategy requires good time management. Try to get to know one student while the other students work independently. Schedule meetings that last no more than 10 minutes within the same class.
Student feedback can be provided verbally, non-verbally, or in writing
Make sure to keep your soft eyes under control. It is imperative that we have to examine our non-verbal cues. Facial expressions and gestures are also a means of providing feedback. This means that when you return that sheet, it is best not to frown.
Focus on one skill
It has a greater impact on the student when only one skill is assessed than the whole, which is at the center of everything that could be wrong. For example, when we pose an arithmetic problem, even at the elementary level, we warn students that for that day we will only review the operations of the columns, or only the final answer or the form of the problem text (grammatical or spelling errors). By correcting, therefore, that and that alone should be my goal rather than all other aspects. The next day will have a new approach.
Alternative due dates for your students / classes
Use this strategy when evaluating documents or evidence. This strategy gives you time to provide quality written feedback. This can also include the use of a rotation chart that students can converse with on a deeper and more meaningful level. Students will also know when it is their turn to meet you (especially at this time of virtual classrooms that prevent direct relationship with the teacher) and are more likely to ask their questions during the conversation.
Educate students to share feedback
Model the appearance and sound of the comments appropriate for the students. An elementary school teacher would call it “peer conversation.” Empowering students to give each other constructive feedback in a positive and helpful way should be our mission. Encourage students to use post-it notes to record the feedback provided.
Ask another adult to provide feedback to students
The principal of the school in which I teach often volunteers to score history tests or read student writing passages. You can imagine how the quality of the student’s work has increased tenfold! If the principal is too busy (and most are), invite a “guest” teacher or teacher-in-training to review the work.
Ask the student to take notes.
During a conversation or question about a test, assignment, or general “record,” ask the student to write as you speak. The student can use a notebook to take notes while providing verbal feedback.
Use a notebook to track student progress
Keep a section of a notebook for each student. Write daily or weekly dated comments on each student as needed. Keep track of the good questions the student asks, behavior problems, areas for improvement, test scores, etc. Obviously this requires essential time management, but when it comes time to talk to a student or parent, you’re ready to go.
Return tests, papers, or comment cards at the beginning of the lesson.
Returning documents and exams at the beginning of the lesson, rather than at the end, allows students to ask the necessary questions and have a relevant discussion.
Using post-its is essential
Sometimes seeing a written comment is more effective than hearing it out loud. During business hours, try writing comments on a post-it note. Place the note on the desk of the student for whom the feedback is intended. One of my alumni had difficulty maintaining attention while administering an assignment and was frustrated and embarrassed when I called him about his inattentive behavior in front of the class.
So he quit and refused to work because he was angry and humiliated. I resorted to using post-its to indicate when it was busy or not. While it wasn’t the most effective use of class time, it really worked for him.
Giving sincere praise encourages study
Students quickly understand which teachers use meaningless praise to gain approval. If you constantly tell your students “Good job” or “Good job,” over time these words lose their meaning. If you are excited about a student’s recent behavior on homework, go further with encouragement and praise.
Call home to let Mom or Dad know how excited you are about the student’s behavior. Comments and suggestions within authentic student feedback must also be “focused, practical, and based on an assessment of what the student can and can accomplish” (Dinham).
“I realized …”
Make an effort to notice a student’s behavior or commitment to an assignment. For example; “I realized that when you grouped correctly in the hundreds column, you solved the problem.” “I could tell you were on time for class all week.” Recognizing a student and the efforts they are making goes a long way towards positively influencing academic performance.
Provide a template or example
Communicate to your students the purpose of an evaluation and / or student feedback. Show students what you are trying to do or evaluate by giving an example of what a “honors” job or “bad” homework looks like. This is especially important at higher learning levels.
Invite students to give you feedback
Do you remember when you finished a cycle of lessons at the university and were given the opportunity to “vote” for the professor? How nice was it to finally tell the teacher that the reading material was so incredibly boring without worrying about it affecting his grade? Why not let the students give you feedback on what you are like as a teacher?
Make sure they can do it anonymously. What did they like about your class? What did they not like? If you taught the class, what would you do differently? What have they learned most from you as a teacher? If we are open, we will quickly learn a few things about ourselves as educators. Remember that feedback goes both ways and as teachers it is wise to continue to improve and hone our skills as teachers.
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