Being direct without offending students
Hello:
I teach accounting and with it there are many concepts that must be learned in a specific order.
It is important that I keep the student focused on the goal of completing the course and still want to learn the material.
I need to find a balance between motivation and learning while still being sure that the material is being understood.
If my feedback is to strong then they will close up and be unwilling to move to the next concept.
My open feedback to the class is that you might not understand it now or next week but the light bulb will go off. You will find that this is the greatest feeling you will have in school is when you on your own finally figure something out.
I stress never give up keep chipping away a little at a time and it will come to you.
When I give my students strong feedback, I feel it is also important to encourage them all I can and point out the things they have done well.
Thanks for your comment Greg, I too always start out with the positive. I also try to be as specific as possible as opposed to giving a general compliment. That way, the student doesn't feel like I am giving a compliment just to set up "bad news."
Jay Hollowell
I generally set the precedence early in our course elective, there is right or wrong. Making critical mistakes have a huge impact on our customer base in the field. However when these mistakes are made handling them with some understanding as well as positive re enforcement will ease the impact of the critical mistake. This helps them move on and continue to do great things during the course instead of dwelling on the past.
I think I approach this from a slightly different perspective! I don't know where and when society got the ideal that negative feedback is "wrong/bad", etc! When did we lose the part that negative feedback is not meant to be hurtful, offend, etc, but to help each of us improve and therefore a necessary evil!
I have had students cry after reviewing my feedback!...no, I wasn't mean, however, I did state clear information and examples of how the expectations were not met. My response to these students has been that I am not here to hurt you, but to show ways in which you can progress and if I DIDN'T care, I wouldn't bother to point out the negative at all, but it is because I care that I want to see improvement!
TB
I address this issue at the beginning of every class. The material is hard, its critical to learn the base and build upon what you learn, and knowing why the answers the students choose are incorrect is as important as knowing the correct answer. I have found in reviewing tests that the students are empowered when they have chosen correct answers and learn from their mistakes by understanding why they were wrong.
As for students crying-I don't keep tissues on my desk or in my office. If they start to cry I just let them and don't respond. Once they get control of their emotions I begin again. In our line of work, a simple mathematical mistake can kill something. They must get it right and I and the class as a supportive team help each student get it right. All of them will get things incorrect when working at the board and its interesting to watch their classmates try and help them get it right.
Hello Greg. I also teach Accounting and this term I was asked to tutor a couple of students that were not in my class but another class held by another instructor so my feedback had to be careful and respectful of the student and the instructor as well. I found providing feedback from my own point of view and not trying to defend either the student or present instructor proved greatly beneficial. In order to stay fair and objective I found using the depreciation method of accounting to every student's want and need which is to buy a vehicle. During the one on one meeting I asked them the make and model of their car and what new car they would particularly like to buy. I asked them if they were to trade their present vehicle in during the third term of a five year loan what would be the value they could negotiate with the dealer. This excited them as they felt they were a little more knowledgeable in negotiations and may have the upper hand on the dealer. Once I was able to open their eyes to this negotiation tactic not only did I help them in their personal lives but I was able to drill the lesson of depreciation into their minds as well. The students became so relaxed after they felt they had been given control that I was able to provide additional feedback in other areas of the class and they appeared more receptive to it and acted upon it ultimately progressing in the class.
