![]() One way teachers can step into the discomfort-and it’s not a big step, I assure you-is through conducting student-feedback surveys.Īnd making these surveys is not a difficult task. It’s time that teachers model this by embracing these emotions ourselves in order to improve both our teaching and overall classroom culture. I teach my students that learning is a process that usually starts with confusion, disappointment, or discomfort. And teachers aren’t the only ones who feel this way. While many teachers would say they have their own reasons for not administering such surveys, in my conversations with them, it seems the most common deterrent is mere discomfort with feedback. Unfortunately, there are still many teachers who refuse to use this practice, despite the fact that there is ample evidence to suggest that students as young as kindergarten age can provide reliable feedback on teacher performance. And if all that wasn’t enough, they were also kind and encouraging. They were honest in reflecting on what skills they felt confident in and ones they needed to keep practicing. They made suggestions about grading, seating arrangements, and even named books and topics they wanted to study. Not only did my high school students think I was a good teacher ( whew!), but they gave such thoughtful and insightful feedback. I decided to administer the surveys anyway, and the results were incredible. The more involved in the class they feel, the stronger the relationships I have with them and the stronger our classroom culture becomes. ![]() Even though many teachers may disagree, I maintain that student feedback in schools should be at the center of what we do as teachers. I want my students to feel like the classroom is our classroom, not just mine. ![]() It allows them to give thoughtful suggestions and ask critical questions, which cultivates more student agency-something our education system is lacking. Why would my colleagues believe that giving students a platform to share their voice would backfire? This helps to engage students in their own education. Another colleague remarked, “Who cares what they think?” “You’re crazy if you think you’re going to get any real feedback,” one colleague said while almost every other teacher in the room nodded in agreement. I made a survey for the end of the semester and mentioned it at an English department meeting. Then my coach said, “Well, you could just ask your students they’re the experts.” During a meeting with my induction coach in my first year of teaching, I asked a big question: How will I know if my students are learning anything? We talked about assessment data, evaluations, observations, but none of it felt like enough.
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