As a principal, one of your key responsibilities is to provide feedback that will help improve your teachers’ performance. But how can you provide high-quality advice without overwhelming your teachers? In this article, we discuss four components of effective feedback for teachers.
A 2009 study from TNTP suggests that about 75% of teachers do not receive specific feedback about how to improve their practice. Unfortunately, overly generalized or broad feedback fails to help teachers understand exactly what instructional practices or content they need to improve.
When giving feedback to teachers, try to avoid using vague statements like, “Your instruction isn’t engaging enough” or “Good effort!” These statements lack enough information to help teachers improve in any given area.
Instead, work alongside each teacher to set targeted goals for your feedback sessions. For example, if you plan an instructional round to take place next week, meet with the teacher who will be observed ahead of time and define 1-3 specific areas where you would both like to see improvement. After the instructional round is completed, provide comments that directly relate to the goals you set together.
These statements help the teacher clearly understand what they are doing well and where they can improve.
Whenever you point out an area for improvement, immediately follow up with one or two next steps the teacher can take to move in the right direction. This way, teachers know exactly what changes they should implement to meet their goals.
Actionable feedback can also be used to identify strengths and encourage teachers to continue positive practices.
Notice that the third example in this list ends with questions rather than prescribed advice. Teachers often have additional experience and insights about classroom challenges that school leaders lack because teachers spend so much more time working one-on-one with students.
In their MiddleWeb article, Ronald Williamson and Barbara Blackburn recommend offering feedback in such a way that empowers teachers to take ownership of their areas for improvement. Principals should try to open a back-and-forth dialogue that encourages teachers to reflect on their own practice. This approach also gives teachers the space to ask for the types of support they need.
Your feedback for teachers should not just reflect your own personal opinions but should be rooted in objective evidence. Encourage teachers to collect and evaluate student data on a regular basis to inform their instruction.
Keep in mind that some teachers have more experience with data evaluation than others. School leaders should work collaboratively with teachers to model how to make data-informed instructional decisions. Y ou may also need to help teachers learn how to seek out evidence-based practices that have been effective in other classrooms, schools, or districts to try in their own classrooms.
In a 2015 report , Education First notes that high-performing districts offer opportunities throughout the school year for teachers to receive feedback. Teachers are frequently able to observe one another, give and receive feedback, and collaborate to support one another. Education First remarks, “This ongoing feedback is important for teachers to sustain their growth and development and helps build a supportive culture where feedback is normal and expected.”
Learn more about how to develop a culture of feedback from Education First’s report.
Feedback alone is not enough to drive long-term improvements in instruction and student achievem ent.
Educational research f inds that high-quality teacher professional development is:
Check out our recent article a bout results-driven professional development for teachers to learn more about each of these elements.
We would love to provide personalized recommendations for your school’s professional development strategy! Schedule a free call with one of our experienced consultants to help us understand the challenges you face as a school leader.