Feedback Grows All Learners

Is feedback important to you? Are you searching for feedback to improve? When do we give our students feedback on their understanding?

Feedback is such a personal moment for individuals. It is the moment that one opens themselves to be judged and to receive feedback on their skills or thoughts. It allows us to gain insight into ourselves that we may otherwise be blind to. Feedback is helpful information communicated from one learner to another to give the best opportunity of growth. This information can be used to direct our learning journey and to improve our understanding.

This is why feedback needs to be consistent, concise and in language that is understood to the individual. Being so personal, it is crucial that feedback is authentic and tied to those individuals learning goals. Feedback can look different for all learners including, providing recommendations for development, corrections and different directions they might take their learning.  

Building a Learning Culture

For feedback to be truly effective, a relationship must be built on trust. It must be given with a growth mindset on wanting them to genuinely improve. Teaching our students to give constructive feedback helps build a healthy and safe environment for students to try new things without the fear of failing. An example of how I start teaching students to give constructive feedback is below. This was our first attempt and it was rather successful when students realized specific feedback was much more helpful than “It was good.”

It can help in building a positive relationship between students and teachers. Building an environment for student to teacher and student to student feedback. Boosting engagement and productivity for accomplishing better outcomes with clear strategies to improve upon. Constructive feedback improves student’s self-awareness of their learning by drawing attention to things they could possibly improve upon.

Improves Our Learning Journey

With the help of feedback, all learners can be more successful. By emphasizing the journey and not the product we will be modeling that the process is more important than the product. By giving consistent feedback from self, peer, and teacher, we are showing that our learning process is more important than the end product. Feedback will be viewed as an opportunity to grow and not the end of our learning journey. We all have a room full of experts in various skills and tools. Giving room for those experts to give constructive feedback not only develops their understanding but also helps our students build healthy connections with one another.

I have done this recently in my class by having a Self-Reflection, Peer Feedback and Teacher Feedback done through a Seesaw activity shown below. This was such a success due to our previous work on giving constructive feedback that my students were able to speak specifically about others’ work knowing they would receive a new perspective as well.

Promotes Lifelong Learning

Getting feedback is important in being a lifelong learner. One way I have worked towards being a lifelong learner is by following the #ObserveMe hashtag on Twitter. One day on Twitter, I saw a post about a teacher wanting feedback on their teaching and they created a flyer that was on their door at all times. I knew this is what I wanted to do! I created my flyer on my door that invited people in and asking for feedback on things I was wanting to work on that year. The survey was tied to a QR code that my visitors could scan leaving observations, questions, ideas, and thoughts. It is up for all visitors, teachers, students, and parents alike because everyone might see something different that is important to them.

Mine is shown below and if you would like your own, click here, to get a blank template to start your own #ObserveME journey.

Helps Us Grow

Thanks to the feedback from my students, I was able to take their feelings and ideas into account. This enabled me to make positive changes in my classroom to allow them to be more successful. It made me more aware of the challenges my students were facing and gave me a chance to adjust where needed.

When we hear the perspective of our students, we challenge ourselves to learn, overcome, and grow as teachers and leaders in our schools.

Therefore, feedback is imperative for the success of all learners. Consistent and constructive feedback done with a growth mindset builds a learning culture and after all, isn’t that what we all want is learners eager to continue their learning? What do you look for when receiving feedback? How do you give feedback? Let me know down below!

As always continue sharing your learning,

Levi

CREDITS: The ad was taken from the presentation template created by Slidesgo, including icons by Flaticon, and infographics & images by Freepik.