A year in review - the value of student feedback

As a teacher, I am frequently giving my students feedback. It could be verbal feedback in class or in extra-help or in conversations. It could be formative feedback when taking up homework or on assessments or on quizzes. It could be summative feedback on evaluations.

As a teacher, I often have conversations with colleagues about the importance and value of good feedback for student learning. How can we learn from mistakes if not for feedback?

But as a teacher, how often do I receive feedback on my teaching practice? And how open am I to receiving feedback on my teaching practice?

I’m very fortunate to work in a school and a department where classroom visits are encouraged. My classroom door is almost always open (I am a loud talker and the door has been known to be closed by other teachers so not to disrupt their class either across or down the hall!). I’m fortunate to work with colleagues who I can throw an idea at and they will critique the idea so by the time it reaches my classroom, the activity is ideal for student learning. These same colleagues are also patient in listening to a lesson that may have flopped and have helped me improve the idea so that it is a success on the subsequent trial.

But how often do we ask students for their feedback? I sometimes fear getting feedback from students as it can often be biased depending on the time of year. But their input is the most valuable in my mind as they are the ones that see my teaching on a regular basis and know what my teaching truly looks like. A colleague could come in for a snapshot of my teaching for a particular lesson or topic but the students are in the room for every lesson. So their feedback is the most important feedback in helping me be the best teacher I can be.

It has been a custom of mine to ask for student feedback at the end of each course. I’ve done this every year of my 13 year teaching career. In the beginning it was done on a piece of paper where I would ask students to provide an answer to these 3 key questions:

1. What was one thing Ms Gravel did well this year?
2. What was one thing Ms Gravel could improve next year?
3. Any other suggestions for Ms Gravel?

I’ve kept most of this feedback and have found it helpful. However this was often rushed and done on the last day of classes.

Over the years, this practice of collecting student feedback has evolved to an electronic format and formalized to a department wide Google Form. The questions have become more elaborate and focused on key aspects of the course and not so open-ended as my paper version years ago. Ideally, I would collect student feedback a few times a year so that I could use the feedback and improve the course as the year progresses but in the very least, obtaining the feedback once a year is a success for me.

I’ve now collected this feedback from my students for this school year. As much as I appreciate the “Everything was great” comments, I actually enjoy reading the constructive criticism more. In a year where I have revamped a course, this feedback was most valuable. The feedback did give me insight that I need to be more clear in expectations and has given me more direction for next year. It has also given me a bit of insight on student learning in my class as well.

So as I wrap up this school year and start to look at next year, this student feedback has given food for thought just in time for planning for next year!