Providing Meaningful Feedback as Middle Leaders: Some Thoughts and Strategies

One of the key aspects to any middle leadership position is the ability to provide meaningful feedback to faculty for both their own professional growth and better student outcomes.

While that seems obvious the implementation and efficacy of these initiatives need consistent efforts to establish efficacy and proper buy-in. Simply put- providing meaningful feedback is more challenging than it may seem. As the Carnegie Foundation’s 90-Day Cycle Report (2014) points out, “Imparting meaningful feedback is difficult and the knowledge and skill required to (give quality feedback) is often beyond the experience and practical knowledge of the people charged with supervision.”

The good news is that in today’s information landscape there are ample examples of leading strategies and frameworks to create the kind of collaborative and growth-oriented feedback processes that every school needs.?

One such framework covered in a previous article is the Adaptive Schools approach. One of the key aspects that lends itself to effective feedback systems is its emphasis on the importance of establishing a common language and shared vision. “Indeed, the experts we consulted asserted that a clear instructional framework was among the most significant components of an effective, coherent feedback system” (90 day 2014). This common language can take a multitude of forms, but it wants to be couched in growth minded language and have agreed upon and mutually practiced terms and conditions.?

In conjunction to establishing a common language, there should also be a focus on structuring feedback processes that develop and encourage teacher agency and reflection. In the 2017 Regional Education Board Report on Feedback on Teaching they found “Administrators can maximize the value of debriefing sessions by using evolved practices that focus on how feedback is used and allow teachers to take a more active role”. Techniques like asking probing questions, encouraging? teachers to share their own insights, philosophies and goals, and then collaboratively developing action plans can help establish a more teacher-driven feedback process. “Simply describing the classroom data empowers the teacher to draw his or her own conclusion and take action as needed” (Finley 2017).

Another crucial component of effective feedback systems is creating and developing meaningful opportunities for peer feedback and collaboration. “School leaders should capitalize on practices that are already in place to provide opportunities for teachers to practice giving and receiving feedback with their peers” (FTR 2017). Professional Learning Communities, instructional rounds and consensus developed peer observation protocols can all be valuable tools for fostering more of a culture of collaborative feedback. As Finley expands, “Teachers needn’t wait for official scheduled observations. They can (and should feel encouraged to) invite the principal or other team members for a classroom visit any time they want additional perspective.”?

?To support the adoption and implementation of these strategies middle leaders need to also focus on developing their own skills as feedback providers. As the 90-day report highlights that “while many districts require training for principals and evaluators who conduct observations, the content tends to focus on norming and re-calibrating observers around a rubric rather than on improving observers’ feedback delivery”.

It should be a point of emphasis to invest in shared professional delivery focused on effective communication strategies, coaching methodologies and stances, conflict management and resolution and data driven feedback.?

?Lastly, to better codify these practices and sustain a culture of continuous improvement, it is advisable for middle leaders to link feedback processes to broader school goals and values.

“To build buy-in for these strategies and develop shared responsibility for student learning, school leaders should consistently model feedback roles and provide incentives for teachers to persevere in their work” (2017). By tying feedback in with school-wide priorities, authentically celebrating specific successes, and providing ongoing support and resources, middle leaders can help create a better feedback culture that is more inclusive, growth oriented, shared and as non-punitive as possible.

The point is to be consistent and mission driven- it’s not personal, it’s about the work. It's about growth and a shared vision for how to get there.

By establishing a common language, structuring teacher- driven feedback processes, developing their own skills as feedback providers, creating opportunities for peer collaboration and linking feedback to larger school goals, middle leaders can foster a culture of growth and learning that benefits both teachers and student learning. As Garmsont and Wellman (2009) say in their Adaptive School founding document, “Conversations are productive when there is a sender, receiver, a message being relayed clearly, and that both parties agree that there was equal opportunity to be heard, shared and understood”.?

By modeling and consistently facilitating these types of productive conversations, middle leaders can transform feedback from a punitive compliance exercise to a positive and powerful tool for professional growth and student success.?

Works Cited

Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. "90-Day Cycle Report: Developing an Effective Teacher Feedback System." CF_Feedback_90DC_2014.pdf, 2014.

Finley, Todd Blake. "Feedback Strategies for Coaches and Administrators." instructional-feedback-guidebook.pdf, Insight ADVANCE.

Garmston, Robert J., and Bruce M. Wellman. The Adaptive School: A Sourcebook for Developing Collaborative Groups. 5th ed., Christopher-Gordon Publishing, Inc., 2009.

Southern Regional Education Board. "Feedback on Teaching: A Fresh Look." feedback_on_teaching.pdf, July 2017.