The word itself causes anxiety and apprehension, but can be vital to reflection and growth and ultimately, impact student success.
Feedback
Feedback is one of the most powerful influences on learning and achievement and can offer us the opportunity to enhance the learning experiences we create for our students (Hattie and Timperley 2011). As the semester comes to a close, we want to encourage all educators to create room for this growth by soliciting student feedback.
The Heart Of It:
The most critical tool for self-improvement is an accurate picture of current reality. That’s why every trainer starts with a fitness test and colleges have placement exams. Coupled with a vision, it offers concrete direction for growth. Feedback gives us an opportunity to look at how our beliefs and values correlate to our instruction. For example, I believe every student can learn, but how am I making sure that happens? Do my students feel I believe they can learn in my class? Feedback gives us a gateway into this real conversation.
The Logistics Of It:
- Prep: Processing feedback that we receive from students is easier if we self reflect first. Take some time to think back on your first semester on your own. What are your strengths? Where do you hope to grow? Then, ask your students. When given the opportunity to be anonymous, students can be brutally honest. However, we can choose to see honesty not as harsh criticism or complaint, but as a gift. Feedback is necessary to improve instruction which creates the greatest impact.
- Do: The opportunities to ask for feedback are endless. It can be at the end of a class period, end of an activity, or end of semester. Let students know why you want their feedback. We encourage you to give all students a survey at the end of the semester. You can adapt one of ours below or create your own.
- Process: Within responses, there will be unexpected positives, sincere suggestions for better serving student needs, and some random thoughts. Look at the whole. Focus on themes. Reflect on the praise and what you would change. Meet with a colleague or your Equity Coach to consider what you could use from the survey in your coaching sessions.
The Meat Of It: What should you ask?
Some example questions:
- When did I successfully encourage you to do your best?
- What do you want to see more of?
- What do you want to see less of?
- How did you feel coming to class?
Want more ideas? Check out some of these posts and sources:
- Sample Student Feedback Forms Here (logged into your Google Apps)
- How to Foster Student Feedback by Elena Aguilar
- Student Feedback Helps Teachers Grow by Ben Johnson
- Using Student Feedback
Note: Consider asking for demographic (gender/race) information on anonymous surveys and explaining why. Simply stated: If we want to serve all students, the themes in the replies may help inform us how to better serve underserved groups.
SLP Equity Coaching 