Published: June 4, 2023, 9 a.m.
In this episode Dr. Rachel Cullen shares ways that we can make feedback more effective in our classrooms and how we can create a culture where the students seek out feedback. She discusses how to create a positive classroom culture and ways that we can front load skills to help students when they face adversity.
Topics covered.
- Make it clear to thee students that you love them more than you love the content area.
- Be authentic in what you do.
- Engage with students that fit who you are.
- Have a doodle board that the students can use before the class starts.
- Joy can be found in the simple things.
- Capturing Kids Hearts program
- Provide students opportunities to collaborate.
- Give students feedback. Let them know what success looks like.
- Create a culture where students can see that you are trying to set them up for success and they can see the steps to success.
- Feedback is more effective when the teacher changes their perspective on it and the students change their perspective on it.
- Feedback is a process towards success.
- Be intentional about talking to your students about feedback and model how to accept it.
- Let students see you hear feedback, process it, ask about feedback that was given, and apply it.
- When students see teachers accepting and utilizing feedback.
- Students will see that the grade will come when they are focused on their feedback and learning and skills.
- Model different skills and thank out loud.
- Celebrate the process as well the outcome.
- The little things is what really makes relationships flourish.
- Make success visible.
- Have students do a personal reflection where students reflect on their own skills as well as a mental health reflection.
- Let students see that you are excited over their success. Celebrate and affirm them to what they are doing in class.
- Often times we may see the good that our students are doing, but we don’t always acknowledge.
- When you have relationships with the students you have an understanding of what that student needs in the moment.
- Front load skills - Discuss what happens when a tough moment happens.
- Role play handling certain situations.
- Journal - Write about what their worried about, what they are excited about.
- The unexpected is often what causes us to fumble. So prepare…. What are we going to do if ____________________,
- Books - Flash Feedback by Mathew Johnson, The Count of Monte Crisco, The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to our Brains and The Glass Castle - How our Computers are Changing US
- It’s not relationships or rigor, it’s relationships and rigor.
- It’s not about the grades. It’s about the learning.
Connect:Instagram @ rachcullphd
Bio: Dr. Rachel Cullen is a high school English teacher in Colorado. Her teaching philosophy is rooted in building relationships with students while maintaining high expectations and being intentional about all elements of teaching from creating a positive classroom culture to providing meaningful feedback to her students. She brings the energy and enjoys being silly with her students. Outside of the classroom, Rachel is a wife, mother, and gymnastics coach.