Giving Feedback

As with teaching, giving constructive feedback is an important skill to gain. Here are a few tips to make it easier. As a bonus, it’s an acronym. We all like acronyms!

Frequent.

We’ve all heard stories of someone going through a rotation “smoothly” and on the last day, they get a terrifically poor evaluation. Frequent feedback will allow the student to adjust to your style and improve.

Expected.

Start a rotation clearly stating that you will give feedback to your students.

Explicit.

Try your best to give feedback on specific behaviours. No general statement such as, “your performance is not adequate”.

Directly observed.

Give feedback about things you’ve witnessed. Let others provide their own feedback, especially if it’s “constructive”.

Balanced.

Get the learner’s perspective on the situation. Their point of view is important as well!

Action.

Provide a plan for improvement.

Clear.

Communicate the goals and objectives for which you’ll evaluate the learner.

Kind.

Respect brings respect. You may be in a position of authority, but that’s not a license to be an @$?hole.

More reading

http://www.myparo.ca/Documents/Giving_Feedback.pdf
More info on the above acronym with references.