As a coach or administrator, giving feedback is a critical part of your job. The way you give feedback can make a big difference in the way your teachers perceive you and the culture of your school. In this blog post, we’ll explore some strategies for giving feedback that will help you build trust and empower your teachers.
The first step in giving effective feedback is to use empowering language. Empowering language is positive and affirming, and it focuses on what the teacher can do to improve rather than criticizing what they have done wrong. For example, instead of saying “you didn’t do X,” you might say “I noticed that you didn’t do X, what can we do to make sure that doesn’t happen in the future?” This may seem like a small change, but it can make a big difference in the way your teachers receive your feedback
Another important part of giving effective feedback is to focus on the positive. Studies have shown that people are more likely to respond positively to feedback if it is framed in a positive way. So, instead of starting with what the teacher did wrong, begin by highlighting what they did well. For example, “I noticed that you were really well prepared for your lesson today. I think your students appreciated that.” This positive framing will help the teacher feel motivated to continue doing things well and also help them be more receptive to constructive criticism.
Finally, it’s important to be specific when giving feedback. Vague comments like “good job” or “keep up the good work” are not as helpful as specific comments that identify what the teacher did well or what they could do to improve. For example, “I noticed that you made eye contact with all of your students during class today. That was really effective in keeping their attention.” Specific feedback like this will help the teacher understand what they need to continue doing in order to be successful.
Giving feedback is an important part of being a coach or administrator. The way you give feedback can make a big difference in the way your teachers perceive you and the culture of your school. By using empowering language, focusing on the positive, and being specific, you can give feedback that will help you build trust and empower your teachers.
