Pay back time!! It's time to rate your teacher.
I came upon this image as I was searching for something relating feedback. My first instinct was "wow...how cruel." Then I thought, is it more or less cruel than judging someone's performance who has not received enough timely feedback to make corrections and develop their learning? How many times have we graded tests of students who we knew weren't "getting" the material, and we still didn't make enough time for them? After thinking about this...I decided to leave it up. Because it is a reminder to treat others as you would yourself. I think we would all appreciate the chance to make corrections on our mistakes, and learn as we go.
"Consequently there was no way for her students to use the feedback she provided and no way for her to judge whether their understanding had developed over time." (Blyte and Associates, Teaching for Understanding)
A reminder of how important it is to give the students an opportunity to use the feedback. Many times, the feedback happens at the end of an assignment, when the student has already finished the product or performance. As I was reading this I thought of how it almost compares to cooking a dinner and then be told“you forgot to add the milk” or, “next time swing using your legs” and then have to go home. Feedback not only needs to be constructive, but it also needs to have an opportunity. The student needs to be able to try it out and make the connection; see how it works.
"FEEDBACK"
The importance of giving students many and frequent opportunities to use their feedback.
As I read this, I thought about how it is like being a coach. You can just give your player pointers on how to bat, you must pitch them a couple and let them try it. Make more observations,give them more feedback and continue working with them. You can’t simply give directions and walk away; because no one improves like that.
HOM
Listening with Understanding and Empathy
I felt that in the readings, listening with understanding and empathy were largely encouraged. In both books we are asked to evaluate our own teaching from the perspective of our student and draw from that to evaluate our own performance. I also chose listening as one of my words, because I think we have some days where we just want to move through the class and we don’t really do the listening the right way. We rush through our students’ responses. We push to the next item without checking or asking questions. Having this Habit of Mind in mind makes me evaluate the power of listening and how I fail my students’ by not listening with understanding and empathy. Modeling this behavior is teaching them to do the same and it is obviously not a pattern behavior I would like to see in them. As I read on, I put myself in the perspective of my students and empathized on how they must feel in my class when they have something to say and are not listened to; when they are confused and there is no clarity or feedback offered; and when they make a mistake, receive feedback, but have no opportunity to apply it. I felt that it was very eye opening.
Thinking Interdependently
As I was reading the articles thought about how important it was that the students develop in this Habit of Mind. It also made me wonder what I was doing to ensure it.I really thought that the Listening portion as well as the Feedback portion of our readings spoke on it in the sense that it pushed me to encourage a more visible learning community in my classroom. I need to make sure that students understand and know explicitly, that they are part of a learning community. I need for them to know that I am a part of this community. I need them to know that all members are important in this community. It made me consider in what ways I can make this more obvious and in what ways I can encourage my community to work together and see themselves as part of a team?
Questions
Based on what you know, how would you explain listening?
What evidence can you find in your own teaching, that supports listening with Understanding and Empathy?
How would you evaluate your own ability to listen with understanding and empathy, as a teacher? How would you improve?
How am I doing?
Apparently.... AWESOME!! I am still striving for Accuracy, but I am developing better questions for my reflections. Correction: I am articulating my reflective questions better. (;) See...still working on improving accuracy!)