There are so many hot pressing issues in the nation and one of them is the opening of classes for school year 2020-2021. I know this is inevitable and the only thing I can do it to be positive with all that is happening and equip myself so that I wouldn't be caught off guard and unprepared.
In preparation for the "New Normal" in education, teachers joined webinars and organizations that offered online self-paced courses to improve their craft. I did as well! But today, while I was on the process of putting together a syllabus for my students, my planning redirected me back on my learners's "Feedback" (which I asked them to write last school year).
In preparing a lesson, I consider the interest of my students and their behavior while inside the classroom. For the first grading you won't have an interest inventory of students because this is the first time you'll get to know your student. For my planning this year, I will use the feedback I got from my students last year.
In a research paper published at Digital Commons of the University of Nebraska, it was stated that the direct daily observers of the professor's classroom teaching performance are the students in the classroom. It backs up my claim that student survey can be utilized not only in improving the teacher but for school improvement too because the output of the teaching force is a reflection of the institution which nurtures them.
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| image created in Canva |
Let me share how I organize the feedback so that I can easily utilized them to my advantage.
- First thing first, when asking for feedback from your students, you may prepare a survey questionnaire. But for me I like to make it more personal and less formal. I just use guide questions and write them on the board for the students to answer. Do not forget to add an extra number where student can write whatever they want to say.
- Instruct your students not to include their names on the paper. That would make the student survey less scary for them and less subjective for you.
- Collect the survey / feedback and read them at once if you have the time. Use paper markers like Stabilo or Faber Castle to highlight important details.
- Organize the feedback into bullets. You may write them or create a neat list in Canva. I like to write mine in a paper and add some doodles. Group them according to the similarity in nature / context.
- On the opposite side of each bullet, write down the actions that you plan to do to improve or to meet their feedback. (feedback without action is a waste of time, paper, and ink - especially the one that needs improvement).
- Use your list of feedback vs. action to your advantage. Execute your action for the feedback that can still be improved at the moment while save those which aren't applicable at the time for your next class.
Some are afraid of the feedback or student survey. But this is a great tool if you want to improve the teaching process. Do not be afraid because as what Ken Blanchard said and I quote "Feedback is the breakfast of champions".
