Feedback For All MARE Conference 2017

improved student learning is to ensure more good teaching The key to improved student learning is to ensure more good teaching in more classrooms more of the time. DuFour and Mattos, 2013 According to Hattie, providing formative evaluation has an effect size of .90. This includes providing teachers, principals, and others with effective and high quality feedback in a formative environment. During thissession we will explore templates and process to use for providing high quality feedback.

How much mediocre and poor teaching in your school? A lot Quite a bit Here and there Very little None Not sure

Nothing undermines the motivation of hard-working teachers more than poor performance in other teachers being ignored over long periods of time. Not only do poor-performing teachers negatively affect the students in their classes, but they also have a spillover effect by poisoning the overall climate of the school. Michael Fullan, 2003

Feedback is the breakfast of champions! Ken Blanchard

“what gets measured gets done” Replace with “what gets feedback gets done better.”

Goals and Actions Goals Actions to Achieve Goals Quality feedback will become the driving force behind a cycle of continuous improvement. If needed offer suggestions. Action after feedback is key to growth. Follow up with teachers to ensure feedback is being implemented. Quality feedback is being modeled and instructional leaders are practicing it. Share feedback given by other instructional leaders on observations, assessments, and unit plans. Role-play giving feedback. Quality feedback is seen as non-evaluative. Frame the feedback as a formative process. Focus on student learning and not teacher performance. Maintain objective, nonjudgmental, descriptive language.

CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE FEEDBACK Timely Consistent Frequent Clearly identified Descriptive, not evaluative

In the absence of focused feedback, efficient learning is impossible and improvement only minimal, even for highly motivated subjects. Hence mere repetition of an activity will not automatically lead to improvement.” (Ericsson et al, 1993) 25

Expert coaches uniformly avoid overloading performers with too much technical information. They tell performers one important thing they notice that, if changed, will likely yield immediate and noticeable improvement. Grant Wiggins 2012

Everyone needs feedback that is… In time For them and their teams For where they are in the learning process What they need to move forward and fill in the gap JUST

Triggers Triggers are obstacles not because they are unreasonable but because they keep us from engaging skillfully in conversation.

Three Feedback Triggers Truth Triggers Are set off by the substance of the feedback itself Somehow it’s off, unhelpful , or simply untrue Response: Will feel indignant, wrong, and exasperated

Three Feedback Triggers Relationship Triggers Tripped by the particular person giving the feedback Feedback is received based on what is believed about the giver Or, how the receiver feels they are being treated by the giver. Response: They have no credibility…..after all I have done for you….are they stupid?....

Three Feedback Triggers Identify Triggers Something about the feedback has caused our identity to come undone. May feel threatened, overwhelmed, ashamed, or off balance. Past may look damning and the future bleak Response: Trying to survive.

Types of Feedback Type of Feedback Giver’s Purpose Appreciation To see, acknowledge, connect, motivate, thank Evaluation To rate or rank against a set of standards, to align expectations, to inform decision making Coaching To help receiver expand knowledge, sharpen skill, improve capacity

Task 2. Quality Feedback from Descriptive Notes Practice Activity: Using Descriptive Language Evaluative Teacher asked a good question Students did not get enough wait time Worksheet was confusing for the students The teachers didn’t learn from the math procedure during the faculty meeting. The principals did understand the directive telling them to discuss student achievement scores with teachers. Descriptive Option Ask participants to go to Task 2 sheet to try to write descriptive statements for the evaluative statements. Ask them to complete their work on the sheet provided. If time is short, ask them to work in pairs. When finished take some responses from the participants, then show them the next slide. Some possible descriptive options are: Teacher asked an open ended question that required evidence from the text. Students had to ask for additional directions on the worksheet three times. Students summarized the story with accurate facts and demonstrated the effort in learning. English Learners did not respond to any questions and did not offer any thinking about the issues associated with the conversation. LEARNING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER © 2013 University of Pittsburgh

Practice Activity: Using Descriptive Language Evaluative Teacher asked a good question Students did not get enough wait time Worksheet was confusing for the students The teachers didn’t learn from the math procedure during the faculty meeting. The principals did not understand how to discuss student achievement scores with teachers. Descriptive Option Why do you think three out of the four students cited evidence from the text? The students did not respond for the five seconds; teacher gave the answer two times. Six students asked for additional direction to complete the worksheet. Ten of the 15 teachers did not implement the math procedure in their classrooms. Four of the five principals did not discuss student achievement scores with their teachers. This is not the only way to turn these evaluative statements into descriptive ones, but it does provide an example for participants. Ask them to look at the slide and say why the statements on the right are descriptive. If your time is short, this is a good place to stop and continue with slide 12 for the next session. LEARNING RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER © 2013 University of Pittsburgh

Stems to Prompt Reflection What’s another way you might….? What would it look like if…? What do you think would happen if…? What sort of impact do you think…? How did you decide…? What criteria do you use to…? What might you see happening in your classroom if…?

Tips Avoid accusatory language Use plural forms (Instead of why did you do x?, ask what might be some reasons you did x?) Shift the focus to the students Maintain eye contact, nod Consider seating arrangement Don’t read from a script

How Can We Help? Leadership Team Coaching Principal Coaching Workshops on Feedback

Amy Youngblood amy@eduoptimus.com Tanya Vest tanya@eduoptimus.com