10 Tips for Offering Excellent Feedback
Nice work! Good job! Big Improvement!
Empty words that sound nice when not attached to something substantial.
We are a culture of pretty words and phrases designed to distract from the truth—we aren't paying attention.
When a person says "excellent" or "way to go," they may mean well, but they aren't achieving anything beyond a momentary ego-stroke that later results in a lower low.
Learning happens best when teachers regularly provide effective, timely feedback on regular tasks or assignments. Feedback must be specific and meaningful to the person you want to help. As educators, we are in the unique position of helping our students grow. Whether we are looking to prevent mistakes from becoming ingrained or to build on skills students already have, feedback provides the learner an opportunity to grow in their awareness of learning standards.
To truly foster progress, several things should be taken into consideration. Here are some key elements to consider when providing feedback:
Consider how the student learns best. Should you deliver the feedback one-on-one, in a small group, in writing, or in some technology-enhanced way?
Notice elements of strength as well as elements of challenge to ensure balance and not overwhelm the student.
Give at most 3 to 5 areas of improvement at one time. More than this can negatively impact the supportive nature of feedback. We aren't looking to shut down the learning process but rather to bolster it. Keep the feedback tight and focused on concrete learning goals.
Avoid trite or meaningless comments that won't help, like "good job." Consider something more specific like "Good thesis statement. It clearly addresses what you plan on arguing and does it in a way the reader can follow."
Use verbal feedback if a lot of feedback must be given. If it can't be done in person, consider apps like Voxer or Screencastify to allow the tonality of your voice to carry the news.
Consider using questions to get students to think more deeply about their work. Never give answers where students can readily figure them out for themselves. Sometimes merely pointing students in the right direction is enough.
Provide feedback throughout the process and not just at the end. It is more beneficial to catch challenges as they arise and take action before they perpetuate. A short conversation or strategy is helpful during the work period either independently or in small groups, depending on the assignment.
Allow the students to set their own learning goals. Ask them to reflect on these once they finish their work. Review the reflection first and then provide feedback on the areas indicated.
Try to give feedback as close to immediately as possible. The sooner provide students feedback about where they are in relation to the goal, the more likely they can use the feedback to improve.
Be aware of the messages you send through your feedback. Sometimes it is a tone or a well-chosen word that can make all of the difference between whether a student hears you or not.
Remember that feedback is teaching—an opportunity to foster student growth. Whether we do it face to face in a conference, over a Google Meet, Zoom, on Voxer, or in writing, we are offering the learner another opportunity to adjust, practice, and move forward.
Giving good feedback is an art form that requires practice, so the more we do it, the better it gets. As we make feedback an integral part of the teaching and learning experience, it becomes easier to make minor adjustments for optimal growth. These moments are excellent opportunities for developing deeper relationships with our students, and, as more trust is established, more learning can happen.
In what ways do you provide feedback? What results have you seen? How have you adjusted your process based on the feedback students give you?
Starr Sackstein has been in education for more than 20 years and is currently the COO of Mastery Portfolio, an Edtech Startup committed to helping schools move to standard-based communication. She is the author of the book Hacking Assessment: 10 Ways to Go Gradeless in a Traditional Grades School and Assessing with Respect: Everyday Practices That Meet Students' Social and Emotional Needs. You can follow her on Twitter @mssackstein.