Running Head: PROVIDING FEEDBACK FOR LEARNING AND BEHAVIOR 1

Providing Feedback for Learning and Behavior

Brianne Palensky

OTL 502 – Learning Theories and Models of Instruction

Colorado State University – Global Campus

Dr. Gastrid Harrigan

December 17, 2017

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Providing Feedback for Learning and Behavior

Constructing meaningful feedback and creating a safe, respectful learning environment

are two top priorities each day for a teacher. Feedback, both positive and negative is essential for

students to achieve their learning goals. From the beginning of the year, students should be

setting and monitoring their goals. As a teacher, it’s important to show them when they are on

track or when they are steering off course. A positive learning environment is also essential, as

every student should feel safe when walking into the classroom. Not only does this allow them to

feel comfortable and ready to achieve, but it also helps build a relationship with their teacher. A

welcoming environment and timely feedback will be two extremely important aspects of my

classroom and teaching style.

Constructing Meaningful Feedback

By linking feedback to your student’s learning goals, your students can use this to

monitor their progress through the year. “One way to avoid feedback falling on deaf ears is to

ensure that students not only understand but also buy into their learning objectives” (Goodwin &

Hubbell, 2013). When it comes to teaching and coaching, pairing negatives with at least two

positives ensures students can maintain positivity and will encourage them to achieve even more.

Feedback is extremely important and can be extremely helpful to student success when it is non-

controlling, growth oriented, specific, non-evaluative and timely.

Non-Controlling Feedback. “If teachers deliver praise simply as information about how

students are performing against a predefined standard, then they can raise performance with little

or no negative effect on motivation” (Goodwin & Hubbell, 2013). It’s important to set a pre-

defined standard at the beginning of the year. Once that is set, you can begin giving feedback

based on that pre-defined standard. While giving feedback, you can use your rules and standards
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as a do-confirm checklist to make sure you are providing feedback that is supportive and

encourages your students to think deeper. Another extremely important aspect of a teacher is to

get your students excited about learning. As I said in Module 4, I will begin each lesson with

something exciting and interesting. When it comes to multiplication, I’ll read Amanda Bean’s

Amazing Dream, which will grasp my student’s interest and encourage them to get excited to

learn multiplication.

If I have a student that is struggling with multiplication, a way I can use non-controlling

feedback is by saying: I see you’re working hard to learn these multiplication facts. Is there

something about repeated addition you can remember that will give you a clue to solve this

multiplication problem? This encourages the student to continue to try their hardest and also

guides his/her learning by asking a question that guides learning. If I have a student excelling

with multiplication facts, I can use non-controlling feedback to say: You did a nice job applying

your knowledge of addition to solve these multiplication problems. Again, I’m focusing on

encouraging, motivating language.

Growth Oriented Feedback. “It’s important to guard against praising for ability and

ensure that all comments to students reinforce the importance of their effort and its link to their

achievement” (Goodwin & Hubbell, 2013). I will base my feedback off student goals and track

this throughout the year. Some students will be learning multiplication at a quicker pace, but

others that are showing progress should receive just as much encouraging feedback as well.

For a student that is striving with their multiplication facts, I will use a growth-mindset to

provide feedback by saying: Your practice with arrays is really paying off. You’re really getting

your multiplication facts down. By praising the student’s hard work, I’m reinforcing effort, rather

than ability. For a student that is having a hard with multiplication facts, I will use a growth-
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mindset to provide feedback by saying: Everyone learns different. We’ll keep with applying

different addition concepts until we find your best way to master multiplication. Not only am I

encouraging the student, but I’m also encouraging them to continue learning, by applying

different addition concepts to find what works best for them.

Specific Feedback. “Feedback is more likely to motivate and guide students when it’s

specific” (Goodwin & Hubbell, 2013). Specific feedback that is tailored to each student can help

each focus on what is needed to succeed at a specific concept. When a student isn’t

understanding multiplication as fast as they should be, I can provide feedback on their work and

encourage them to review repeated addition, jumps and arrays. I will also list specific behaviors

and actions they can take to achieve the learning goals. By planning ahead and recognizing

where my students stand on the concept, I will be able to provide specific feedback when it can

be used.

After my student masters his/her multiplication facts, I will provide the following specific

feedback: You’ve made tremendous strides with your multiplication facts this year. How did you

use your knowledge of addition to master this concept? What helped you when you started

multiplying larger numbers? This feedback encourages critical thinking and also allows the

student to self-reflect on how they solved problems.

Constructive, Non-Evaluative Feedback. “The best feedback isn’t a score or grade; it’s

guidance on what students are doing well and what opportunities they have for improvement”

(Goodwin & Hubbell, 2013). By including information on how to improve and encouraging my

students to continue thinking and applying their learning, my feedback will be constructive.

For a student that is struggling with multiplication, I will use the following non-

evaluative feedback: That time, when you used repeated addition, you were able to solve that
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multiplication problem. How do you think you can use it for this problem? I am reminding my

student of a time where they succeeded at multiplication and am helping them think to that time

and apply it to their current learning.

Timely Feedback. “Researchers generally agree that in most circumstances, the more

immediate feedback is provided, the better” (Goodwin & Hubbell, 2013). When I am working

with my students on multiplication, it’s important to provide them with feedback while we are

still learning this topic. Solving equations on white boards will be a great way to provide timely

feedback. I will present my class with a multiplication problem (3x5) and will have each student

raise their whiteboard when they are finished. I can look around the room and talk to those

students who were unable to solve the equation or didn’t get the correct answer. This gives me an

opportunity to provide real-time feedback. Also, online quizzes and games are a great way to

provide feedback. By using this software, students will see right away if their answers are

correct.

Having Students Monitor Their Performance

“Ultimately, we want students to become adept at self-assessing so that they are able to

reach out to networks, online tutorials, or other resources to aid in their learning” (Goodwin &

Hubbell, 2013). I will have my students answer statements after each lesson. They will answer

“One thing I understand is” and “One thing I’m struggling with is”. Not only does this help the

student self-reflect on their performance, but it also shows you what concepts students need to

spend more time learning.

Creating a Safe and Respectful Learning Environment

“Teachers play a key role in creating safe, positive learning environments and school

climates for students” (Goodwin & Hubbell, 2013). Once I become a teacher, the number one
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thing I will focus on is being positive. I bring a lot of positivity and encouragement to my

swimmers, and it shows. Not only do my swimmers comment on how happy they are and how

motivated they are to swim for me, but they also swim their best times after I encourage them

and provide feedback.

My classroom environment will also be bright, welcoming and inviting with positivity

displayed throughout. “Students’ work displayed on the bulletin boards, interactive bulletin

boards for instruction and improved learning, and student-designed bulletin boards not only

enhance the environment but also give students a role in planning that environment” (Bosch,

2006). It’s important to use student work and display it throughout the classroom. When students

see their work around the classroom, this is a form of positive encouragement that their teacher

thinks their work is good enough to be displayed. Desks will be arranged in groups so students

can collaborate with one another, but will also be able to read the board and listen when I’m

giving a lesson.

Rules and Procedures of Learning

Positive, caring, respectful and encouraging classroom rules will be displayed in the

classroom for students to refer to. “Whether the teacher refers to them as rules, rights,

expectations, or responsibilities, these principles govern classroom operation and become the

written and unwritten code that allows a classroom to work” (Bosch, 2006). Rules hold students

accountable for their actions and ensures respect for the teacher. Students should have input at

the beginning of the year into consequences for poor classroom behavior. I will use a clip chart,

where there are 5 levels a student can behave. All students will begin the day in the middle, and

they will be able to either move up or down the clip chart, depending on their actions.
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It’s important to catch students when they are displaying the rules in a positive way.

Rather than calling out a student for doing something they shouldn’t be doing, I will call out a

student who is displaying positive classroom behavior. By telling the class, “I like the way

Samantha is doing her work”, I have found this encourages students to use them as a model to

shape their behavior.

I will set rules for certain circumstances that the students will know to follow. These will

be posted in the classroom for the students and any teacher that will be substituting. At the

beginning of the school year, we will review the classroom rules and spend the first week

practicing the rules, while enforcing consequences. By starting day 1 with rules and

consequences, the students know they will be enforced throughout the year.

Students Entering the Classroom. All students will start their day by walking into the

classroom, saying hello and putting their backpack away. They will then quietly move their name

on the board to “packed lunch” or “buying lunch”. After that, they will begin their warm-up

assignment and raise their hands if they have any questions. If a student finishes early, he/she can

read a book from his/her book box or write in his/her journal.

Students Leaving the Classroom. We will begin packing up 10 minutes early. While

packing up, I will ask the students what they learned today. We will then sit quietly and listen for

car riders and buses. If the student is waiting, he/she can read a book at his/her desk.

Walking in the Hallway. All students will walk quietly. We will play a game where I

pick a “mystery walker”. One student will be chosen at random, but the students don’t know who

the mystery walker is. If the mystery walker is silent in the hallway, they get a sticker. After

using this as a substitute, I found every single student remained quiet in the halls, just in case

they were the mystery walker.

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Students Who Finish Early. Students will sit quietly and read a book or write in their

journal if they finish their work early.

Gaining Class Attention. To get the class’ attention, I will say “waterfall, waterfall” and

the class will follow with “shhhhhh”. This quiets the classroom and I can begin instructions.

Listening and Responding to Questions. All students will use their listening body. Eyes

and ears should be on the speaker. Lips should be zipped and hands will be raised if there is a

question of comment.

Roll Taking, Collecting Papers, Etc. Students will be assigned jobs at the beginning of

each week. The students will be responsible for whatever job they have – roll taking, collecting

papers, passing out papers, etc.

Critical Analysis

Both feedback and classroom environment are just two of the many important

components to being a successful teacher. Ensuring feedback is positive, non-controlling, growth

oriented, specific, non-evaluative and timely will help students achieve their learning goals. As a

teacher, providing feedback is important for each student. Whether a student is succeeding or

struggling, shaping your feedback to make sure it has each component of successful feedback is

just as important as it is to provide feedback.

Smile to set tone, making eye contact, staying calm, listening, notice strengths and

provide encouragement, provide support, use humor, share own stories, listen and adjust (Giani

& O’Guinn, n.d.). By interacting with each student each day and building a relationship, I will

utilize all these components of a successful teacher. Routines and procedures are vital to

classroom success, so these will be created as a group at the beginning of the year and will be

displayed throughout the year. By enforcing feedback and consequences as well as positive
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feedback, my students will know expectations and will be able to succeed.

References
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Bosch, Karen (2006). Planning Classroom Management: A Five-Step Process to Creating a

Positive Learning Environment. Retrieved from Sage Knowledge website:

http://dx.doi.org.csuglobal.idm.oclc.org/10.4135/9781483329451

Giani, M., & O'Guinn, C. (n.d.). Building supportive relationships as a foundation for learning.

Retrieved from

jgc.stanford.edu/docs/YiM_WA3_Building_Supportive_Relationships.doc

Goodwin, B., & Hubbell, E. (2013). The 12 touchstones of good teaching: A checklist for staying

focused every day. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum

Development.