Writing Feedback

What?
Today we started to unpack peer feedback in class. To start we discussed what we should include when we make a comment on peer's written work. In groups students came up with, and then agreed on the following format.

* Start with something positive. This could be along the lines of, 'I really like . . . because . . .'
*Next - something to consider - constructive feedback. 'I think you need to . . . because . . .
*Highlight any errors you may find (draft) - spelling, punctuation, grammar


So what?
After we came up with that students were given two pieces of writing. One was at a higher level, the other at a lower level. They had to use the format they came up with to give some feedback on the pieces of writing.

A couple of students did this well, however too many were just generic comments and it was obvious some students had not read the text or understand what they were writing.

Seeing this I added some sentence starters to our 100WC Blog so when they give feedback to their peers the starters pop up automatically. They can copy and paste a positive and constructive starter to help them with their feedback.

Now what?
I think this is going to take a while and is something we are going to really need to work on. Modelling with the students more will be a way for them to understand how to give feedback and what for. I will also get them to work together until they are more comfortable offering feedback. I l believe they need to see the value in this before I see any results so it is something I must persevere with.

Looking for other teachers who do this well, or have templates set up, is something else I will be able to do to help me on my journey.

This shows evidence against:

Professional learning 

Use inquiry, collaborative problem solving and professional learning to improve professional capability to impact on the learning and achievement of all learners. 

• Inquire into and reflect on the effectiveness of practice in an ongoing way, using evidence from a range of sources. 

• Critically examine how my own assumptions and beliefs, including cultural beliefs, impact on practice and the achievement of learners with different abilities and needs, backgrounds, genders, identities, languages and cultures. 

• Engage in professional learning and adaptively apply this learning in practice. 

• Be informed by research and innovations related to: content disciplines; pedagogy; teaching for diverse learners, including learners with disabilities and learning support needs; and wider education matters. 

• Seek and respond to feedback from learners, colleagues and other education professionals, and engage in collaborative problem solving and learning focused collegial discussions.
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Learning-focused Culture

 

Develop a culture that is focused on learning, and is characterised by respect, inclusion, empathy, collaboration and safety

• Develop learning-focused relationships with learners, enabling them to be active participants in the process of learning, sharing ownership and responsibility for learning. 

• Foster trust, respect and cooperation with and among learners so that they experience an environment in which it is safe to take risks. 

• Demonstrate high expectations for the learning outcomes of all learners, including for those learners with disabilities or learning support needs. 

• Manage the learning setting to ensure access to learning for all and to maximise learners’ physical, social, cultural and emotional safety. 

• Create an environment where learners can be confident in their identities, languages, cultures and abilities. 

• Develop an environment where the diversity and uniqueness of all learners are accepted and valued. • Meet relevant regulatory, statutory and professional requirements.

Teaching 

Teach and respond to learners in a knowledgeable and adaptive way to progress their learning at an appropriate depth and pace. 

• Teach in ways that ensure all learners are making sufficient progress, and monitor the extent and pace of learning, focusing on equity and excellence for all. 

• Specifically support the educational aspirations for Māori learners, taking shared responsibility for these learners to achieve educational success as Māori.  

• Use an increasing repertoire of teaching strategies, approaches, learning activities, technologies and assessment for learning strategies and modify these in response to the needs of individuals and groups of learners. 

• Provide opportunities and support for learners to engage with, practise and apply learning to different contexts and make connections with prior learning. 

• Teach in ways that enable learners to learn from one another, to collaborate, to self-regulate and to develop agency over their learning. 

• Ensure learners receive ongoing feedback and assessment information and support them to use this information to guide further learning.