Feedback Strategies

1. Be a Mirror: Give Readers Feedback That Fosters a Growth Mindset (link): Sometimes it is hard to see our own talents and hard work that it is important to have family, friends, and teachers reflect the truth within us. With this idea, it is about others being a “mirror” to showcase and illuminate who we truly are in order to foster a positive growth mindset. Of the five qualities the author mentioned, I believe the two most important ones are making sure that feedback is transferable and that those who give the feedback take themselves out of the equation. The ability to make feedback transferable allows students to realize that the talents they are using is beneficial and useful in any circumstance or context, and that it is not just tied down to a particular assignment or book. Also, the quality of taking those who give the feedback out of the equation is something I never realized but I believe is extremely important. This generation of children and students are so used to pleasing others that it is almost engraved into our brains. When first person pronounces are not used, I believe it mirrors the student works for what it is. Ultimately, however, it is up to the child or student himself/herself to decide what to do. No matter how much other people pour into them and become their mirror, it is up to the child/student to take that support and put action into it.

2. The Difference Between Praise and Feedback (link): Process praise was this idea by Carol Dweck that states that people should praise the effort put in by the child instead of praising the child itself so that the child can be able to grow as a person. I like this idea for the most part as it allows children to take the praise in the effort itself and use it as fuel to take on future challenges. However, as kids, do they actually realize the difference between praising the effort versus praising the child himself/herself; because if a child does not know the difference then does it matter what kind of praising we give to them? On the other hand we have the concept of praise and personhood which states that parents and educators need to love and approve of them no matter what in exchange for a child's desire to do. However, this can also backfire because as parents and educators we can approve everything a child does, as they need to learn from their mistakes to grow as a person. If a child hits another child, parents and educators should not approve of their actions but instead condemn for doing something bad. I believe at the end of the day, it is a balance between praise and feedback.

Isn't that the truth! Source: Pixabay