Positive Feedback
Positive Feedback is so very important when teaching. When my students don't provide feedback as much as I'd like, I know that they didn't get as much information out of the lecture that I had planned. I review over until I receive more positive feedback and comment.
Hi Richard,
What have you found to be some of the effective ways to provide feedback to your students?
Gary
Positive feedback is one of the most important things to do. If a student does not feel that they are a part of the team and not ackowledged as doing a good job, the seeds for failure have just been planted.
Hi Vonda,
Each student is different so I always sit down privately and talk with that student. I try to see where he/she is coming from and how I can be of help to that person. This lets them know I care about them and their success. In many cases it works and they become part of the class. In other situations I never am able to reach that student. I know it isn't me but the baggage they carry into the class that is causing the problem. I treat them with respect and support them as much as I can but in the end their success is up to them. I am always sad when I can't reach a student like this but I do feel good that I have done everything I can to help them be successful.
Gary
In my experience, a student cannot be forced to give feedback. I have had some individuals that have extremely poor attitudes about learning unless the information is spoon fed to them. How does an instructor get through to the students that are like this?
I will often stop during a lecture and ask a question related to the topic. This grabs their attention and once the right answer is received gives me the oportunity to give positive feedback on how much they have learned in the time they have been in both the school and my class.
Hi Annette,
Yes, their feedback can be used to change or modify the course depending on the circumstances. I have my students give me feedback on projects and activities so I can know how they were perceived. Then I know whether to keep them or not.
The other side of feedback is to the students based upon their work and my input. Together it is a win win for us both.
Gary
I thought you were going to talk about giving your students positive feedback, but I think I see your point. Are you talking about using their feedback as a method of determining whether or not your lecture has gotten through?
I am fortunate that my students get to comp in this class. Being able to use the skills they have obtained right away. They also are able to give each other positive feed back.
Hi Louis,
Good way to respond to challenges like this when the students aren't picking up on the lesson after all of the effort you put into it. This way the concepts become small enough for them to grape the content and make it a part of their learning pathway.
Gary
It can be frustrating when after you prepared and presented a lesson that you were so sure that the students would both enjoy and understand and afterwards you get no positive feedback. If that occurs I like try to engage the students by breakingdown the material even further to get that feedback that shows they understand the concepts just presented.
Hi Catherine,
Good point about student feedback wording. We instructors have to ask the right questions to get the feedback we need for instructional improvement.
Gary
Pamela, thank you for your feedback! :) In life, I find that we are always a teacher and a student. As I learn, I pass on that information, and, in return, I am taught and pass that on also. Life is one big circle. and I thank you for being one of my teachers! :)
My response would be just this: I learn just as much -- though I don't know a number in order to really quantify it -- from the negative feedback as from the positive. I enjoy the positive more, however! All joking aside, all feedback, positive, negative, even non teaches me something I need to know!
Yes, I feel, too, that student surveys are very important, both to improving the learning environment and for retention. The wording of the survey should be such that is it easy for the student to comply with the request for information. If it is too difficult, most students will just "blow it off."
I appreciate positive feedback from my students as much as they appreciate it from me. I have noticed that for example, when I point out and compliment an assignment that they have done well and have done the work as I would have done myself, they find value in the assignment and get excited.
Postive feedback is very important, students are starting a new profession, they want to do well and find good positions when they graduate. Encouragement is key no matter what age we are in life. Everyone flourishes.
Positive feedback should be a regular part of the instructor-student interaction. More importantly, constructive feedback should be tempered with careful wording (avoiding the however, but, nonetheless predicates).
It is very important that our students understand the concepts and one of the ways that we can find out is through positive feedback.
I tried to do different problems every term and
I give out a survey to the students asking them how I am doing?
Hi Patricia,
Good to hear about the progress you see your students making as they move through the course. Being ready to learn is a real challenge for adult students. They think they are in many cases but there are barriers that they don't see themselves as having. By continuing to work with them and being supportive you see the progress you mentioned. I commend you for your effort. Keep up the good job.
Gary
I have trouble getting my students involved with the content because they generally are not reading and many have learning disabilities, diagnosed and undiagnosed. And if it is not those problems, many do not speak English as their first language.
i think positive feedback works and encouragement that they can do what I am asking in the class!
Yet, by the end of the class, I feel that they are starting to understand the material and become critical thinkers. I try to get them talking in every class. I try to stay focused on how they can use the content to improve their own health.
