Feedback to Teachers

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Why it works

Research on feedback, for teachers as for students, finds it works when it is specific, focused on a small number of actionable things, tied to a clear goal, and delivered in a way that supports growth rather than triggers defensiveness. Feedback that is vague, piled on, or purely evaluative rarely changes practice. The relationship and the framing matter as much as the content.

The research: Research on feedback and instructional coaching.

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

The core activity: plan one feedback conversation

Leaders leave with a specific, focused, growth-framed feedback conversation planned.

Pick a teacher and a real observation.
Choose one or two specific, actionable things, not a long list.
Frame them for growth and tie them to a goal.
Plan to make it a conversation, specific and supportive, not a verdict.

Specific, focused, and growth-framedFeedback changes practice when it names one or two concrete things, ties them to a goal, and supports growth. Pile it on or make it judgment, and it gets defended.

Facilitator notes

Be specific and actionable, and limit to a few things.
Tie feedback to goals, and build trust.
Make it a conversation.

A long list of judgments changes nothingVague, piled-on, evaluative feedback triggers defensiveness, not growth. Pick one or two concrete things and make it a supportive conversation.

Adapt it

Elementary and secondary: the same.
Coaches and evaluators: same principles, different stakes.
All settings: specific, focused, growth-framed.

Participant handout

One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

K12 Academics · Professional Learning

Feedback to Teachers: specific and growth-framed

Change practice: one or two concrete, actionable things, tied to a goal, delivered as a supportive conversation.

The teacher and the observation:
The one or two specific, actionable things:
How I frame them for growth:
The goal I tie them to:
How I make it a conversation:

Make it stick

Specific and supportive:

Keep feedback specific and focused.
Make it a conversation.
Bring a feedback conversation that changed practice to the leadership team.

Common questions

Why does my feedback not change anything?

Often because it is vague, too much at once, or feels like judgment. Specific, focused, actionable feedback tied to a goal, delivered supportively, is what changes practice.

How much feedback should I give at once?

Less than you think. One or two specific, actionable things a teacher can act on beats a long list that overwhelms and gets ignored.

How do I avoid defensiveness?

Build trust, focus on practice not the person, be specific, tie it to the teacher's goals, and make it a conversation, not a verdict.