Another beautiful day, and like last year, summer began on just about the first day of summer. After all these years of summer starting so early, it is finally fixed. Whew.
One of my goals for TAS over the next year is to create a more formal feedback/criticism system for the students. They do have quite a lot of input into their schedule, their curricula, and in many classes, the day to day direction of the classes. For instance, the first part of my psychology class was very reading heavy. This was objected to on many reasonable grounds. For one thing, it really limited how much certain students could participate. Of course the could do the reading...but on the other hand, we are quite different than other schools and many of our students suffered enormously under the read-a-pile, write-a-pile regime. So we switched to another mode altogether: to watching certain movies in a particular way, discussing them, as well as doing some basic peer counseling training and role-playing. It worked out well. Was it a rigorous class? No. But all the student indicated that they learned quite a lot and now feel more comfortable in helping situations.
Here is an article from Edutopia, a public education reform organization, with a nice little item on using feedback in the classroom:
At the end of the year, the student survey can be your best friend -- that honest and supportive friend that gives you meaningful feedback and leaves you with something to think about. Your job is to set the stage for your friend to perform on, and then listen with an open mind. I've given surveys to every group of kids I've ever taught -- as young as second graders -- and I've found them invaluable in improving my practice.
One of my goals for TAS over the next year is to create a more formal feedback/criticism system for the students. They do have quite a lot of input into their schedule, their curricula, and in many classes, the day to day direction of the classes. For instance, the first part of my psychology class was very reading heavy. This was objected to on many reasonable grounds. For one thing, it really limited how much certain students could participate. Of course the could do the reading...but on the other hand, we are quite different than other schools and many of our students suffered enormously under the read-a-pile, write-a-pile regime. So we switched to another mode altogether: to watching certain movies in a particular way, discussing them, as well as doing some basic peer counseling training and role-playing. It worked out well. Was it a rigorous class? No. But all the student indicated that they learned quite a lot and now feel more comfortable in helping situations.
Here is an article from Edutopia, a public education reform organization, with a nice little item on using feedback in the classroom:
At the end of the year, the student survey can be your best friend -- that honest and supportive friend that gives you meaningful feedback and leaves you with something to think about. Your job is to set the stage for your friend to perform on, and then listen with an open mind. I've given surveys to every group of kids I've ever taught -- as young as second graders -- and I've found them invaluable in improving my practice.
First, let's consider the purpose of the survey. Though it can be a tool for reflection, primarily, it's a way for students to give you feedback...
This isn't rocket science. But in psychology having a clear and formal avenue for a client's negative feedback is one of the strongest predictors for success. After all, in a trusting relationship negative feedback is appreciated, and in psychology the quality of the relationship is far more consequential than any technique or theory or medication. This is absolutely, quantifiably the case. Why would it be any different for education?
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