How can teachers communicate high expectations to their students?
Detailed feedback can make a big difference. Here's what I wrote on the Character Lab topic: Tips of the week:
“What does this mean? It is incorrect and adds nothing to the sentence. Skip it.”
When I first read my paper, Professor Jones' extremely critical feedback struck me. I looked through his comments and said, “Good job!” Or, “I like this idea,” but I can’t find it anywhere.
Everyone loves warmth and encouragement, but purely positive affirmations don't convey what can be improved. research Co-conducted with Lisel Murdock Perriera. and Jennifer Lynn Everhart. Character Lab Research Network We have found that direct, informative feedback that asks students to revise their work is more effective. The key is to solve problems yourself. Feedback that involves doing tasks for students, such as correcting misspelled words and rewriting sentences, can be a sign of low expectations on the part of the teacher.
When children see targeted comments suggesting what to change, they realize they can do things on their own and become more independent learners. As a bonus, this kind of feedback lets students know that their teacher believes in them.
I owe Professor Jones a debt of gratitude. His sharp criticisms let me know that he took me seriously and expected me to do better, and the detailed comments scrawled on every page gave me the tools to improve. Teachers can (and should!) add affirmations to their feedback as long as it is not the only thing they are doing. To the professor, this seemed like a note at the end of another paper. “I am confident that things will improve as the semester and school year progresses.”
not do Confuse warmth with encouraging a growth mindset. Being kind is not the same as showing someone you believe they can improve.
do Provide detailed feedback so young people can take charge of their own learning. For example, instead of rewriting the sentence, say: “This is a run-on sentence. Read it out loud and add punctuation where you find your natural breath.” Ask probing questions that get students thinking about their own approach, and then let them self-correct. When it comes to writing, the easiest path is not always the best path.