Administrative Conference 2014

Robyn Jackson -- Giving Effective Feedback to Teachers

Need to spend the time to give support to teachers who need it. Some things need to come off the administrators' plates to have the time. Administrators need to have a mindset and priorities shift to find the time to give needed support.

Will is teacher motivation to do what is right for students, school, and profession. Skill is teacher ability to implement instruction, pedagogical and subject area knowledge.  You cannot solve a WILL problem with a SKILL solution, and you cannot solve a SKILL problem with a WILL solution. 

SKILL:  Novice (not effective or new) teachers need diagnostic feedback.  Helps teachers understand what isn't working and why it isn't working. Apprentice (minimally effective) teachers need prescriptive feedback. Helps teachers understand what to do to improve their practice. Give two options and the teacher chooses which one feels better to them.  Have a third option if the teacher doesn't like the other two. Practitioner (effective) teachers need descriptive feedback. Holds up a mirror so that teachers can diagnose their own practice and improve. Master (highly effective) teachers need micro-feedback. Helps teachers become aware of nuances and tweaks that can improve their practice and sustain mastery. They have a hard time articulating why they are good.

WILL:  Coerced teachers have to be forced to do something. Compliant teachers do what they are asked to do.  Cooperative teachers offer to help. Committed teachers will continue to do something even if the focus changes. A cynical teacher is a high will, committed teacher who has been disappointed. Teachers can be in different places depending on the topic or situation.

WILL drivers: Autonomy is having control over things that matter to them. "What, when, where?" Mastery is becoming good at things that matter to them. "How?" Purpose is being involved in things that matter to them and their work is meaningful. "Why?" Belonging is being important to those who matter to them. "Who?"

How to get this done:  eliminate time wasters, automate time consumers, delegate empowerment failures.

Your office is not your home. Don't make it so comfortable that you want to stay there. You should be out in the school.  Give files to your secretary. Have your secretary handle your schedule, so you can block out time to go out into classrooms. Train staff to make appointments to see you.

Make providing feedback to teachers a priority. Do paperwork at the back of the classroom. Move your office. Set office days and coaching days. Divide staff amid leadership team.

Feel more confident in your own leadership, and feel more effective and efficient. Strengthen your leadership style.  Feel more connected to staff. Give yourself time to stare out the window and reflect.