Module 5 – Feedback

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Module 5 ● Overall Feedback (10 mins)

At different points throughout the clinical experience semester and student teaching, you will give coaching feedback to help YLIs to improve their practice. It is important to remind YLIs of the following:

  • Feedback and coaching is not personal; feedback helps to improve practice.
  • My Clinical Educator is sharing feedback to help me.
  • Celebrate and Challenge:
    • “I did well, and now I need to work on .” (goal to goal)
  • Ask yourself: Does my YLI understand the feedback I am sharing?
    • If not, encourage him/her to ask follow-up questions.
    • Also encourage him/her to ask for an example or model if they need additional support.

Effective Feedback:

Feedback is a critical part of a YLI’s growth. It is imperative that a YLI is provided the opportunity to receive effective feedback and implement the feedback to improve practice. More importantly, feedback lays the groundwork for the improvement of teaching skills. As a Clinical Educator, you will want to provide specific feedback to your YLI this semester to help him/her reach full potential. Many Clinical Educators are hesitant to give feedback or to say anything critical, fearing that the YLI will be discouraged; however, feedback is important to correct habits or teaching behaviors that can lead to failure.

During the clinical semester that leads to the full-time teaching semester, it is absolutely imperative that you be honest with your YLI and not hesitate to give a true appraisal of the performance. YLIs are novice teachers who need guidance from experienced teachers through constructive criticism. It is also important for the Clinical Educator to tell the YLI whatever he or she is doing well, to give praise when it is due, and to commend innovation and creativity while also addressing areas that need improvement.

Here are some important points to remember about effective feedback. Effective feedback must be specific and functionable, process and goal oriented, and ongoing. Read the graphic organizer below for key details about each component of effective feedback.

Specific and Functionable:

  • Keep YLI feedback concise with no more than 2-3 main points.
  • Provide tangible examples of the behavior for the candidate to analyze.
  • Be very specific with your feedback so that both you and the YLI are aware of exactly what needs to be improved.
  • Focus on the YLI behaviors (what they do), not their personality traits.
  • Avoid vague statements that leave your YLIconfused or in the dark.
    • Example: “That was a good lesson, but it needs to be more in depth.”

Process and Goal Oriented:

  • Connect performance with results
    • Example: “When we examined the exit tickets from the math lesson today, what connections can you make to your lesson planning and delivery?”
  • When giving feedback, it should be clear to the YLI how the information they are receiving will help them progress toward their final goal.
  • Include and discuss specific learning targets for the YLI.
  • Discuss specific steps the YLI can take to make improvements.
    • Example: (What) “I have noticed your lesson openings are extending past the time we have set, and students are inconsistently engaged.”
  • Set specific goals with the YLI with a timeline to accomplish these goals.
    • Example: (How and When) “Let’s look at your lesson plan and rehearse your lesson opening for tomorrow. Let’s debrief after school each day, and at the end of the week we will analyze where we are with the goal of lesson openings.”

Ongoing:

  • Feedback should be ongoing and revisited often throughout the semester.
  • When something needs to be said, continue to address it with the YLI.
    • Example: “Last week discussed clear and precise directions and the directions you’ve given have gotten better using MVP- (Movement, voice, and participation).This week your directions are lacking voice and participation in the MVP strategy that we’ve been using. Let’s revisit this and look at your direction for tomorrow”.
  • Consistent communication will allow the YLI to clearly understand where he/she stands and will aid in avoiding any issues down the road.
  • Informal, simple feedback should be given on a daily basis. By providing frequent, informal feedback, nothing discussed during the formal feedback sessions should be unexpected, surprising, or particularly difficult.
  • Balance direct and indirect feedback.
    • Example: Direct feedback: You need to …
      • Indirect feedback: What would have been the result of…?

Once you give feedback, don’t forget to revisit progress on that feedback. If you have any concerns or questions about your YLI’s receptiveness to feedback, please reach out to the Office of School and Community Partnerships at 704-687-8802 or oscp-coed@uncc.edu.