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Each year, I have to calibrate my observation skills for our teacher evaluation system.
I sit with other principals in the district and engage in the following process:
Review our observational rubric for teaching.
Watch a video of teaching in action.
Document what is observed.
Share our observations with each other while entering the evidence we documented into a digital form.
One thing I can count on during these experiences:
How one principal views instruction varies, sometimes greatly, compared to another principal.
For example, after the most recent video was done, one administrator noted the level of questions the teacher asked.
“It really got the kids thinking about the content she was trying to teach.”
I was surprised by this takeaway. I thought the questions were lower level and leading vs. supporting student thinking.
I spoke up. “At a few points during the lesson, it seemed like the teacher was simply asking the kids to guess what she was thinking.” The other administrator conceded that this was true, then brought up a point I missed in the lesson: that the school was just coming back from an extended break. Realizing this context, I thought about the lesson in a different way.
At the end of the calibration session, we were expected to pose some questions we might ask this teacher during a hypothetical post-observation meeting.
Below are two we came up with along with our rationale:
“What resources do you use as you prepare for instruction?” (Goal: To ensure alignment with state standards and any district-approved curriculum)
“Thinking about the intention of the lesson, how do you feel the students responded in comparison to your expectations?” (Goal: To gauge their current capacity to formatively assess student learning)
We closed our time together by agreeing that disagreement can sometimes be a good thing, as long as all parties are open to new and divergent ideas.
And that’s the thing: our observations and questions might fall flat or even lead to unhealthy conflict without certain conditions in place to support improvement.
With this in mind…
What are the necessary conditions for effectively communicating feedback?
I prefer the verb “communicate” over “give” or “deliver” when trying to describe how to convey feedback.1 High-quality feedback is reciprocal; both parties benefit from the interaction. It can be described as a dance, balancing leading (such as offering data) and following the lead (such as listening to understand).
In my sixteen years as a school leader, I have found four conditions for effectively communicating feedback for instructional improvement.
Condition #1 - Transparency
Why does this person want feedback? Or if not requested, what is the purpose for me providing feedback for this person?
Without a clear goal for the purpose of communicating feedback, our actions can be misguided. We are basing our responses on what we think the other person needs, when in fact they may have a different reason or need.
I have found a simple question at the beginning of a coaching conversation, such as “How can our time be most useful for you today?”, to be helpful in opening the door for the other person to share their goals or a challenge they are currently facing.
Condition #2 - Predictability
When teachers and leaders demonstrate emotional self-regulation consistently, they can be trusted to not overreact when feedback is provided.
This is an area I have worked on a lot over my administrative career. I used to get defensive or make excuses when someone would try to share how I might improve. I may still feel this urge, and even slip into old habits, but I have made it a priority now to simply listen to what others are saying and take the information for what it is: potential data for possible growth.
As an example, a teacher asked me for feedback on a unit of study. She and I have a strong relationship based on both of us being predictable in our responses to each other. I was intentional about first noticing and naming the strengths of what she created (“Your use of song and rhymes will support your emerging readers.”) I followed up with a question about how their students will transfer their learning to an authentic experience.
I knew I could pose this question because of this teacher’s past actions of not getting defensive when feedback is offered. Likewise, she knows I am careful about not being overly critical.
Condition #3 - Vulnerability
It takes courage to put ourselves out there and request support.
That requires accepting that we don’t have it all figured out (none of us do) and being public with that reality. And yet the reward for our humility is often an acceleration within an area of improvement. But vulnerability also comes with real risk in the form of an overly critical response which can lead to less confidence.
This spring, another teacher asked me for feedback on a set of community norms for their learning space. Not being as thoughtful as I normally am, I literally crossed out every norm and replaced it with what I thought was better language. Thankfully, the teacher was happy with my recommendations. That said, it could have gone south with another person with whom I had not yet established enough trust.
Ensure that vulnerability is honored with empathy and sensitivity.
Condition #4 - A Common Language
Whether an instructional framework or shared beliefs, to effectively communicate feedback, educators need to be speaking the same language.
This is important to point out. Principals will sometimes feel nervous about offering feedback to a teacher in a grade or department in which that principal lacks experience or knowledge.
This doesn’t mean leaders have to do a deep dive into every subject area and discipline before offering feedback that supports improvement. By engaging in a coaching conversation based on the shared language within a school, the leader can lean on the terminology of the practices. Knowledge follows with repeated interactions.
What do all four conditions have in common? Trust.
Transparency: When leaders ask teachers about their goals and challenges, they demonstrate trust in their capacity to lead their own learning.
Predictability: When people have trust in how others respond to feedback, they seek out and welcome ideas for improvement more often.
Vulnerability: It is difficult to be open about our challenges when we cannot trust others to respond with empathy and sensitivity.
A Common Language: A trusted set of shared beliefs and practices offers a reference point; we communicate feedback about the process, not the person.
Any additional conditions you would add for communicating feedback effectively?
Chapter 6 in my book Leading Like a C.O.A.C.H. is titled “Communicate Feedback”.