What We Know About Effective Feedback

Feedback is not about the manager / Feedback is not about how the appraiser feels but about how the teacher recieves the message and what he/she is able to do as a result of it.
Feedback is more effective the sooner it is given / When you give immediate feedback it resonates more with the person receiving it. Providing immediate feedback also sends a message that the behavior did not go unnoticed and that it is important that the behavior is corrected.
Feedback is about the future / Feedback is not about a specific moment. Rather, feedback is all about how the teacher receives the feedback and the adjustments that are made moving forward.
Feedback is about behavior, not attitude or motivation / Feedback should be rooted in facts and should be about the behaviors the teacheris exhibiting, not his or her character, motivation, or attitude.
Feedback is a sign of strong leadership / Leaders who give ongoing and immediatefeedback empower their teams to make changes and modify behaviors on the fly, whenresults can still be mitigated.

Guidance for Difficult Conversations

Approach
Structure the Conversation /
  • Ask the teacher if you can give them some feedback
  • Describe the specific behavior you saw using low-inference evidence
  • Make connections to the Instructional Practice rubric
  • Describe the impact of that behavior
  • Ask what he/she will do differently
Who will do most of the talking?
What materials and/or information will you have available?
Plan for Location and Timing / Where will you choose to hold the meeting?
What time of day will it be?
What class period will the teacher be coming from?
Anticipate Reactions / What response do you expect to receive from the teacher?
Why might he/she react in this way?
What will you say in return?
Is there anything you can do to make the teacher more receptive to the feedback?
Best Practices for Feedback Conversations
Start Off Positive / “You have truly been an asset to our team by <name the teachers contributions>. These contributions impact our school and student in that <name the impact>. I also want to be sure that you are growing and developing in your instructional skills as well. I have some feedback to share with you that I think could really make a big impact for your students.”
Remind the Teacher of Your Development Goals / “At the beginning of the year we talked about <name your specific expectation>. When I was in your classroom today I saw <name the low-inference evidence>. This is not aligned to the bullets under effective teaching. As I see it, it more closely aligns to <name the bullets it aligns with>.”
Reference Specific Examples of Effective Teaching Practices / “As you know, the district has developed video exemplars that highlight the vision for effective teaching in action and model the criteria in the Instructional Practice rubric. The video exemplar for <name the teacher’s development criterion> gives specific examples of how to demonstrate effective teaching, such as <highlight at least one specific practice>. I’d encourage you to take a look at the video/resources and consider how to bring those new practices into your classroom.”
Give Clear Examples
Give Clear Examples (cont’d) / “When I was in your classroom I saw/heard <name the low-inference evidence> which is aligned with <name the level and bullet points from the rubric>. However, I do see a clear path for you to improve in this area <name areas for development that get to next level on the rubric>.
“I encourage you to reach out to your TDS and schedule time with them, as they have a strong background and working knowledge around these effective practices and are able to provide you with support in your classroom with your students around the goals in your development plan.”
Acknowledge Interpersonal Dynamics / “I know that sometimes it is hard to hear constructive feedback, but given our close relationship, I know you hold yourself to the highest standards, and I want to be sure I am giving you the information you need to be as effective a teacher as possible. Please know my priority is to support your development in these areas.”
Addressing Questions about Lower Ratings / “Just as the new STAAR assessment raises the bar for student learning, our new teacher and school leader appraisal and development systems set higher expectations for teachers and school leaders. These expectations are laid out in the Instructional Practice rubric and through our new video library that features effective HISD teachers from all subject areas. I believe my rating reflects these expectations for effective teaching, based on the evidence I collected from your observation. I saw <name the low-inference evidence from the observation> and that aligns with a level <name the level> based on the language from <name the bullet from the rubric>”
Pledge of Support / “As a district we expect the goal for all our teachers to be that they reach the level of effective—and we’re committed to helping everyone get there, but we don’t expect everyone to be a “3” right away. If your appraiser or I tell you that you’re not quite meeting expectations under the new system, it doesn’t necessarily mean your job is in jeopardy. It means we’re going to work alongside you to get you the support you need to improve in the areas where you’re struggling, so that you can make it up to Level 3 as quickly as possible.”