Day 25

 As we embark on our final month of this school year, I can’t help but wonder how we can  engage our students and our broader school community, with whom we’ve been with for the  past nine months, in a process of providing us with feedback in order to assist us in reflecting on  our practice. As effective educators, we know the power of feedback and take every  opportunity to provide our students with as many informative next steps as possible.  Don’t we  owe it to ourselves to also be on the receiving end of such a gift?

If the intent is to improve our practice and ultimately the learning environment for future classes, what questions should we ask?   What information is going to make the greatest impact? How should we ensure that students and their parents feel safe providing authentic, honest answers?

How powerful would it be for administrators to model that same mindset when it comes to seeking and then acting upon constructive feedback received from their staff and broader school community?  What information from a staff would help an administrator to enhance their leadership skills as they continue in the role. Once again, creating the conditions for safe sharing of information is imperative.

In the interest of transparency and authenticity, if I’ve challenged others to seek feedback, then my next step is to develop some thought provoking questions for my system staff.   Look for an update in a future post.

What are the challenges to seeking feedback?

Come write with me…