Have you ever experienced any sort of fear while getting a feedback from your employer or the boss in your day to day life? Was the feedback that you received efficacious and well- deserved? Ken Blanchard has rightly said “Feedback is the breakfast of champions”. And I personally have innumerable memories from my past experiences as an educator of getting decisive and genuine feedback from my Principal and Instructional coaches. But on every occasion I used to experience outlandish notions and fear in my mind as to what feedback will I get about my lesson taught that day. Trust me friends, it was never too easy. No matter how many years I have been into this profession as an educator with great expertise in my subject area, but still that envisaging of getting a feedback from my boss always caused butterflies in my stomach. My heart- beat eased when I received great words of encouragement and positive feedback for my teaching from my boss. This process of getting feedback made me ponder the effectiveness and the exigency to provide a positive feedback to my students. It made me realize how importunate it is for a good teacher to provide a consequential, explicit and productive feedback to my students.
Many studies have proven the fact that teacher feedback and comments is indispensable for students’ success. It is intrinsic for teachers to keep in mind that feedback is an essential part of effective and successful learning. It gives a fair idea to all the students on how to improve their learning thus inculcating self-confidence, self-awareness and enthusiasm for learning. But we must keep in mind that there should be positive criticism to get better results. Harsh, and negative feedback can cloud perceptions in students and dampen their motivation to achieve their goals. Professor John Hattie, a renowned researcher in Education, noted that feedback is “one of the most powerful influences on learning and achievement”, so if you’d like to increase student achievement in your classroom, feedback can be the key to making it happen.
Here are some of the effectual and emphatic ways to give feedback to our students-
Feedback should be positive.
It should be given timely.
Provide regular on-going feedback.
Host a one-on-one conference to give personal feedback.
Be specific.
Feedback should be goal oriented.
Be sensitive to the needs of your students.
Be candid and meaningful.
Be concise and prioritize the feedback.
Never stock-pile negative feedback.
Feedback should be measurable and understandable according to students’ level of learning.
Give genuine praise.
Last but not the least, be empathetic.
Also, it is imperative for a good teacher to keep his or her frowns in check. Always train your students to have a positive peer conferencing and have them take notes while you are having a one-on-one conference. Positive feedback simplifies the improvement process of self-assessment or reflections in learning. So, one of the best practices to give effective and meaningful feedback is following the 3 C’s strategy-
Compliment Correct and Compliment
In conclusion, a teacher is the best judge about her students’ capabilities. We must nurture our students by implementing the best practices in a way that enhances students’ growth personally, socially and academically. Taking out time to provide immediate feedback to your students will help them in long run. Bill Gates has rightly said “We all need people who give us feedback. That’s how we improve.” Feedback is a powerful tool to connect with our students in a positive way and we must follow ways to facilitate positive and immediate personalized feedback.
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