Skype chat Sunday 05 March 2017 (morning)
Still trying to
figure out what feedback I want to receive from my students, I noticed that,
when reading through articles and blogs, feedback interlinks with so many
different things: feedback and critical thinking of students, feedback and your
relationship with students, feedback and your objectives or expectations,
feedback and the process of understanding, feedback and assessment of progress…
Adesola writes on her blog that for her “feedback is about giving someone more ideas to think about or another way
to look at the same thing”, it is “two-way” and about “walking together through
an idea”. This would mean that feedback encourages dialogue. When I think about
the exchange I wish to have with my students during my class, I think about my
relationship with them. This is why, during the morning Skype
chat yesterday, I wanted to hear from others what kinds of relationships they
have with their students and what impact different teacher-student relationships
can have on teaching. Parimala explained that she has one personality or one way
of interacting with her students ‘during’ class and a different one ‘after’
class (be quite strict or formal during the class and allow time after the
class to share experiences - be like one big family). Imogen mentioned that she
too tries to incorporate time for reflection. Those two reactions made me realise
something important: ‘When’ do I want to receive feedback and what age group
are we talking about?
First of all, I
am talking about students aged 16 and over. This is important to note because
we are talking about students who are (or should be) attentive and disciplined.
Second, I believe that thinking about ‘when’ is very strongly related to ‘why’.
During the discussion on Skype, it sounded like people are separating the time
where feedback is encouraged, from the time where the students are learning. However,
the feedback I want should happen during the class, for one reason mainly: I
feel like people are expecting from a dance teacher an authoritarian teaching
style, they are expecting to quietly do their exercises and receiving clear
instructions (mostly through demonstration) and corrections from the teacher. The
teacher talks, the students dance. When young adults are familiar with this
teaching style, they don’t really know how to react if a new teacher approaches
dance in a different way and I am not sure if they truly want that change. This
is frustrating because I have felt on my own body how important verbal exchange
in dance can be, how it can help you progress. So, what is it that I am looking
for? I wasn’t able to name it until Imogen talk about what she is trying to do
in her teaching. (So thank you Imogen!) In fact, what I want is to give my
students ownership of their learning. That’s what I am trying to create in my
class. I want my students to own their learning process, to be in charge of it.
Feedback would then be the framework. Consequently, I want the feedback to be reactions,
responses to what they experience.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI have always learnt in a tradtional way where a teacher instructs and demonstartaes and students absorbs her teachings and of course assimilate as per their individual cognitive skills. Only a highly motivated learner trusts teacher's capacity and learn things considering their prior experience and responds to the present learnings with the belief that the new teaching methods will allow the student to improve the way they would operate in future. As a teacher I beleive in imparting knowledge through creating small performances in my class once they learn a fixed routine, and each student is given the freedom to add their ideas and imrpovise on that thus I make sure both tradtional and progressive methods are implemented which incorporates knowledge of curriculam requirements and new learning as related to their ideas which reflects the students understanding of a given task. I agree with you that verbal exchange is the vital aspect of teaching as it creates the clarity of expression both ways. Usually I receive feedback from parents as my students are between the age group of 7-15. I am sure you will achieve what you desire.