Sunday, September 20, 2020

The Way We Talk to People


I have been thinking a lot about feedback this week. 

I went in to see a teacher's lesson. She is a specialist teacher teaching some kids who were in my class last year. They are a challengin group of kids and I just wanted to see how they were with her. When I went in, I helped kids I could help and took mental note of what was happening around the room. Afterwards, she approached me about what I saw and what I thought could be different, so I told her rather directly, while being polite, what I thought. 

I thought a lot about this interaction, wondering if I was too direct since I don't really know this teacher too well yet. But then again, she asked for feedback and has a desire to improve on her practice.

A while back I was in a an accredidation preperation session where we were asked to make something for the visit. Everyone got to work on what they were making. Another teacher came up to me and asked what I was doing. Her line of questioning led me down a path to self-doubt. Now maybe my idea wasn't good, but I think she should have allowed me to try out my idea and adjust myself. I ended up not finishing anything since I 1) lost all that time, and 2) was worried about her coming back to me and critiquing my work.

I am beginning to think that there are two kinds of feedback - bottom up and top down


Bottom Up Interactions

I look at bottom up interactions as those in which someone is seeking feedback as with this teacher. In these interactions it might be easier to speak more freely and directly. 


Top Down Interactions

In top down interactions, someone is not necessarily seeking out the feedback, but is getting it regardless. 

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