Feedback on Student Work

I approach giving feedback with an asset-based lens. I start by highlighting to students the things they do well and leave suggestions for improvement. Throughout the unit, students regularly received feedback in their notebooks, which they added to each day through entrance/exit tickets, writing assignments, and preparing notes for student-led discussions. I sought to use feedback as a way to have conversations with students; students must know the work they complete is not simply busy work but that what they share matters. It is a small way to show students that I respect them and that their voices are valued in the classroom.

The examples you see are the feedback I provided to students on their first drafts of their personal narratives. Before giving feedback to students, I asked them to self-assess through a printed checklist I provided them. I believe that self-reflection is a necessary part of growing as a writer. For these narratives, I wrote a short paragraph at the end of their paper, oriented towards the summative assessment rubric (Domain 3, Artifact 1), that focused on the things they did well and a couple of things they needed to revise as opposed to multiple comments throughout the essay. Considering how little time they had to revise their essay (due to the fact Brown Summer High School was such a short program), I felt it was most important for students to think about the big picture. This approach made my students feel less overwhelmed and helped them focus better on their writing.

Three Examples of My Feedback on Student Work

Reviewing students’ essays and providing feedback informed my lesson planning for the next few days, as I understood where my students needed more practice and support. This artifact serves as an example for instruction because it demonstrates my ability to monitor student learning through various means and modify lessons to ensure the students “get it,” drawing on other resources if needed.