The Three C’s of Instructional Feedback
Be Constant. Be Consistent. Be Clear.
Providing frequent high-quality instructional feedback to teachers can be a daunting task for school leaders. But when this process is executed effectively (in a cycle or loop), it can be one of the most effective strategies for developing teachers and impacting overall student performance. When thinking about the effectiveness of your current process, consider the “Three Cs.”
Be Constant.
Collaborate with the instructional leadership team in your building to create a schedule for providing teachers with regular feedback, and then stick to it. It might be helpful to place each teacher in the building in a Tier (1-3) to determine how often each educator will receive feedback. (Tier 3 Teachers will be those in need of the most intensive feedback and support, while Tier 1 Teachers will require only periodic check-ins.) Once you’ve identified tiers for your teachers, divide the observation and feedback cycle among your instructional leadership team, determine how often each tier will receive feedback, and schedule your observations. A suggested frequency of observations could be once a week for Tier 3 Teachers, once every other week for Tier 2 Teachers, and once a month for Tier 1 Teachers. When scheduling observations, be sure to block out time on your calendar for both the observation and the subsequent feedback session. As a good rule of thumb, plan on providing 5-15 minutes of feedback to each teacher.
Be Consistent.
Once you’ve created an appropriate schedule, ensure that your feedback is provided in a consistent manner. This step in the process involves developing and implementing a common feedback protocol that allows for reflection on the lesson by both the observer and the teacher, proper dialogue, and next steps. A simple framework, such as the example below, can help both parties stay focused.
Be Clear.
When providing feedback, you want to be clear on next steps. While you may have identified next steps in your dialogue (as illustrated above), it’s always good to send a quick follow-up email with resources, a reminder regarding the next observation, deliverables, etc. to ensure the teacher is clear on next steps and how to move forward on their area of improvement.
Seek Help When You Need It.
If you need support in developing your cycles of feedback, reach out to us. Our project teams can provide coaching, training, and/or professional development that meets your organization’s needs. Email us anytime at info@schoolworks.org.