Giving Meaningful Feedback

Room to Grow - a Math Podcast

In this episode, we discuss considerations for providing meaningful feedback to our students. We think this is a great follow-up to our last episode on grading! In preparing for our discussion, we learned about the research supporting effective feedback for learning, which includes suggestions around the type of feedback to give, when to give it, and how meaningful feedback is separate from grading.

Our research articles suggest that feedback is not advice or criticism, but information that helps the receive to understand their next actions. Although it makes sense that students must engage with feedback in order for it to be meaningful, we were intrigued by the suggestion that the receiver of feedback should work harder as a result of the feedback than the giver of the feedback! In other words, our students should work harder than us, their teachers!

We explore some concrete ideas for making your feedback more meaningful, reflect on our own mistakes around providing feedback, and emphasize the fact that in all aspects of a teachers work, relationships matter most.

We encourage you to explore these resources, mentioned and referenced in this episode:

• Blog post from Edutopia. The five suggestions here are backed by research. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/tips-providing-students-meaningful-feedback-marianne-stenger
• Article from the South Carolina Center for Teaching Excellence. This resource is general for all content areas, is a quick read, and includes a list of specific ideas for effective and efficient feedback. https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/cte/teaching_resources/grading_assessment_toolbox/providing_meaningful_student_feedback/index.php
• Article from ASCD (free if you haven’t already accessed your limit of free articles). Grant Wiggins authors this article that Curtis and Joanie refer to multiple times during this episode. https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/seven-keys-to-effective-feedback
• Article/research summary from the Tang Institute. Although this resource appears longer than the others, the summaries and graphics make it very readable. This would be a great resource for a PLC or professional learning setting. https://tanginstitute.andover.edu/files/Feedback-in-Practice.pdf

Share your feedback, comments, and suggestions for future episode topics by emailing [e-mail] . Be sure to connect with your hosts on Twitter and Instagram: @JoanieFun and @cbmathguy.