Monday 8 September 2014

Teaching HOW to give & receive feedback with SOLO.

I think, in the first year of school, it is really helpful to help our learners learn how to give and receive kind and helpful feedback. Today we noticed how we have been learning to give each other feedback.

As a 'model' of a learner, I began drafting a rubric last night, then asked for my learner's feedback this morning. The value they added was utterly awesome, and the 'strategies' are recorded in their 'beautiful' voice. I think the result is reflective of our constant use of SOLO and the language of learning, and our familiarity with +Pam Hook  @arti_choke 's HookEd  visual rubrics!

The power and efficacy of feedback and peer tutoring are well recognised due to the legendary work of Professor John Hattie.

My understanding is that effective feedback concentrates on achievement/success that is visibly connected to the original learning goal, and also offers next steps. So, shouldn't one of the most important skills we help our youngest learners to understand be HOW to give and receive helpful, effective feedback? Might this further empower them as learners and teachers?

I noticed the 'Star and a Wish' feedback strategy in Louise Dempsey & Sheena Cameron's The Writing Book and began using this together with SOLO to teach how to feedback about writing. It is now evident across all learning areas because it seems to be working!

I have always asked my learners to assess modelled and shared writing; "What did I do well? What do you think I should improve?" We have always looked at each other's writing, but I haven't always been sure they are giving effective feedback to each other.

I predict this will be a helpful visual reference for my future learners to refer to, adapt and add their own voice to. As always any feedback is welcome & encouraged!

3 comments:

  1. Thank you so much Christine. I will show your feedback to my learners too, they will love reading it! :-)

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  2. Hi Bridget,
    the more I see educators like yourself creating learner focused reflection tools using SOLO the more I am hanging out to get started! I have been teaching my students how to reflect and be metacognitive about their learning for a long time and see the value of the SOLO framework for moving this forward for myself (and hopefully my school). I have had the SOLO books for a while but just have had too much else on to 'get into' them and understand it. Thanks once again for sharing things that inspire... next Term ..I'm into it!

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    1. Thanks Kerri for your kind and thoughtful comment! I find the beauty of SOLO is in the simplicity.
      For me, I had to start using it (a leadership position within a 'SOLO school' - but I was so lucky to get my 'lightbulb moment' while listening to Pam very early on in this position. I really believed in how powerful a model it could be for my learners (and me!). I hope you will share your 'next step' with using SOLO too! :-)

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