Feedback from my kids

[paraphasiclotus]

I gave my class of 11 and 12 year olds some questions with which to evaluate my eight weeks of teaching. The activity was optional and I told them all to be completely honest, as any answers would help me be a better teacher. I'm really glad I did this evaluation, as I learned a lot about what worked for them and what didn't that I couldn't've figured out any other way. I had been seriously doubting my teaching abilities (for various reasons), but the results of this survey as well as the kids' assessments managed to lift my self-confidence again.

Note: I have left spelling and grammatical errors in. The non-italicised words in brackets are comments I elicited when asking students to explain their answers individually.

What are some things you learned when I taught?

• Well I defenetly learned how to be more confedent in front of large groups and also learned how to debat better and I also know more in maths because you explain it so well (this comment made me happy as maths is this student's big weakness and hate)
• How to debate, a lot of interesting stuff about coasts wich I enjoyed a lot and lot's of other staff.
• That debating is a great and exciting thing to be doing and it helps you get your confidence up and you eye contact, stance and your ability to stand in front of a lot of people.
• To be conifendent and to talk out lound and read the words (qestion) without having to put my hand up. (I got such a buzz from this feedback, as it came from a student who stuttered when talking, even just to me, and who was very teacher-dependent when I started)
• you teached me how to work with maths better
• I learned a lot of thing like debating and being confidence when debating

I was happy to get these debating comments. I think the reason so many students responded well to it was that they were actively involved in learning - we watched a short video about it, then tried our hand a it - practising and giving each other feedback until everyone had some success. The comments about confidence made me particularly happy as they were very reticent at the beginning, and they really bloomed once the classroom seemed safe (everyone had a go, I encouraged the class to help students who got the giggles by remaining calm and interested until they composed themselves).

What didn't you understand when I taught?

• Not mach
• Nothing your good
• Some things I thought weren't explained clearly. (Maths)
• When you didn't explain it (questions) and doing weird maths things. Neatness (on the board)
• Math. (some of it)
• nothing
• I don't think there's anything I didn't understand when you were here because your such a good teacher
• I understand everything you taught me. When I didn't understand you telled me what to do.
• some big difficult words
• some of the maths

Fair enough, kids. I pitched my maths lessons way too high as I was worried they'd get bored. Something I've definitely learned.

What did you like the most about my teaching?

• The way you teach and explain thing because it is realy easy to understand what I'm doing and how to do it.
• I learn't a lot from your teaching.
• The way you teach (the way you said it, the way you explained)
• Talking out loud (loud enough to hear) and doing fun games.
• You always try to give us a chance.
• Explanation. (You explained things. If we didn't know a word, you'd explain it).
• The way you explained it, thats how I learned how to do everything and even if we didn't get it you helped us individualy. I think that relaly helped.
•  you explained things well
• You teached funny something
• Art, debating and everything else.
• you planned some fun thing
• niceness
• you made me conferdent (another uplifting response, as this student couldn't get past giggles and speaking in a baby voice at the beginning of the debating unit . He was doing exceptionally well at the end.)

What didn't you like about my teaching?

• Nothing your a good teacher
• Neatness on the board
• nothing
• how you always took along time to get to me when asked a qestion
• You didnt explain well a bit (chance activities)
• Nothing you were good
• nothing
• sometimes you confused me with the maths
• yelling (it gives me a headache) (I'll admit, I was getting very stressed towards the last week of my prac. I was being assessed by several teachers, I was having some difficulties with my supervising teacher, I had two reports to write and an interview coming up. I apologised.)
• you were mean to me, I was always getting in trouble with you, have to do boring stuff, you hated me (I found this student difficult to deal with. I don't agree that I was ever mean to him, but he did get in trouble a lot. I certainly didn't hate him and he knew that, in fact on my last day he asked me why I was so concerned about him.)

These require comment. The neatness on the board thing came from two different students so I obviously need to work on that (either that or they're being obnoxious!) I'm not sure what I can do about taking a while to get to students who ask a question. Another student mentions this below. I have already made a commitment after this prac to do less whole-class activities - to work more often with one small group while the rest of the class does independent activities. I hope this helps. I've already addressed the maths complaint.

What did you like about me as a teacher?

• That you wouldn't get angry if we put our hand up and diddn't understand and ask a million times.
• You would teach us a lot of stuff we didn't know and stuff we weren't so good at you would teach us more about.
• You talk aloud, explain the hard questions, you teach me things I didn't know yet.
• Everything
• How you spoke fluently (didn't stop, stutter, loud enough to hear at the back of the room)
• The way you were always there when I needed help and when we didn't get it you'd be nice about it and help us out.
• you let us play games often
• Everything! You were like Ms (regular teacher)!
• Every think Mss percy and next year I and I hope you come a really good teacher when your older. (Next year you're going to become a really good teacher and I think your class will like you a lot)
• you are positive
• being nice

I worried about my impatience on this prac and my clarity of explanation. I was also told by my supervising teacher that I needed to moderate the tone and volume of my voice more. I had no idea what she meant and she couldn't explain it any further when I probed. Obviously I needn't have worried! (I became accustomed to projecting my voice after my last two pracs when the majority of students had ear problems). From this feedback I can see that my self-assessment of some teaching strengths has been accurate. For example, I know that usually patience is one of my biggest teaching strengths. I also think my way of relating to students is compassionate and values them as individuals.

What didn't you like about me as a teacher?

• Nothing your great.
• Sometimes you would yell at us to much.
• that you say we run when we walk
• nothing. I will miss you.
• nothing.
• Nothing, you were a great student teacher and I think you will be a great teacher. I'll miss you.
• you were a bit mean
• Nothing!
• nothing
• when somone puts their hand up and you come and talk to us then you go to someone else
• yelling at students

I appreciate the kids' honesty here. The meanness and yelling complaints are fair. I was getting fed up with them for a few days, and while a lot of that was stress on my part, I am going to be stressed at some points in my life and that shouldn't affect the respect I strive to show my students. I'm reading more about democratic classrooms at the moment and dealing with disruptive students.