Four Tips for Giving Effective Feedback

Feedback is the number one tool for growth, hands down.

For some teachers, however, receiving feedback stirs up strong emotion. They may fear having mistakes pointed out, or they may become angry if the effort they’ve put in isn’t what was needed. One thing is for sure, feedback can be uncomfortable both to give and to receive.

Many people dread feedback. They would rather stay at the same level of effectiveness than go through the painful process of change. In order to improve every day, though, educators need an outside perspective to help them determine where to place their effort to make the most gains.

Great school leaders crave feedback themselves, and they work to create a feedback culture in their school.

Here are four tips for giving effective feedback.

Feedback should be timely.

Educators know that students need feedback as close as possible to when they perform an action. If students miss an item on a test and don’t receive feedback for two weeks, they will forget their thought process that led them to their misconception, and they won’t be able to correct it.

The same is true for the adults in a school. If you don’t give timely feedback to a teacher who has been using an ineffective questioning technique, the students will not be engaged. If you wait several days before complimenting a teacher on that great activity, she may be less likely to try another one next week. Strike while the iron is hot, and you will see results that last.

The biggest problem with the formal observation and evaluation cycle is that it is time-consuming. Find ways to give quick informal feedback. Send a short email or text, or leave a sticky note when you exit a classroom. Make feedback instantaneous whenever possible.

Feedback should be specific.

“Good job” never helped anybody. “Needs improvement” won’t lead to better outcomes. Be specific about what you would like to see done differently the next time you observe.

Often, teachers already know what to do to improve. Teachers are professionals, after all. They just need help shifting their focus toward what would provide the most leverage for them. Make sure to spend time with teachers face to face when providing feedback.

Lisa Seale, a fellow principal in my district, once suggested asking questions to get teachers thinking on their own and to signal your expectations. At the end of the conversation, you can ask the teacher what they are going to do going forward to ensure you’ve been clear.

When completing a formal observation or evaluation, make sure to give enough commentary to be useful. Simply assigning a rating or copying and pasting points from the growth rubric is not specific feedback. What led to that score? What can the teacher do to improve her practice and achieve a higher rating? Be specific with your comments.

Feedback should include next steps.

You’ve observed a teacher’s classroom and identified an area for improvement, but what action should the teacher take to correct a misconception, reinforce a positive behavior, or spread a culture throughout the school? If you don’t give a clear next step that the teacher can take, then she may take the wrong next step, or none at all.

Common Next Steps

• Learn more. Suggest articles or books, recommend a video or podcast, or require attendance at a professional development session.

• Practice. Practice makes perfect, and nothing worthwhile is done only once. Recommend practicing essential skills, and you’ll see improvement with each repetition.

• Observe another teacher. Suggest learning from someone else. If the best teacher ideas stay locked in one classroom, those ideas never get spread throughout the school.

Feedback should provide both “glows” and “grows.”

Teachers will always remember the negative more than the positive. It’s just human nature. My mother taught elementary students for over three decades and has had loads of positive feedback over the years. However, her most memorable feedback is when a consultant commented that she used the word “at” at the end of a sentence!

It’s up to us to care about the whole person and make sure they can handle what we’re giving them. Don’t overwhelm anyone by giving too many suggestions or too much negative feedback. Make sure your teachers know you appreciate them and their efforts.

Most people have heard of the “compliment sandwich”--giving positive feedback first, then offering correction, and giving positive feedback afterwards. Consider using this approach when offering feedback.

What about you? What are some ways you have provided effective feedback to your teachers?

Let me know in the comments below!