Teacher Mentorship Programs

Waiting until the end of learning to assess is like checking the map after you’ve arrived. By the time you’re grading the final paper, the most important teaching moment has already passed. Formative assessment is powerful because it happens while learning is still in motion. It tells us not just what students know, but how they’re thinking, where they’re stuck and what needs adjusting, before it’s too late. Some of the most effective forms of formative assessment are simple but intentional: 📍 Low-stakes quizzes that surface misconceptions without pressure 📍 Exit tickets that reveal what actually landed in the lesson 📍 Think-pair-share and cold-calling to check reasoning, not just answers 📍 Draft submissions with targeted feedback before final work 📍 Peer assessment that sharpens criteria awareness and reflection 📍 Observation and questioning during tasks, not after them What makes formative assessment more valuable than other assessments is timing and purpose. It’s not about grading; it’s about guidance. It shapes instruction in real time, builds student confidence, and reduces the fear of failure because mistakes are treated as information, not judgment. Formative assessment also changes the classroom culture. Students learn that feedback is part of learning, not a verdict. Teachers gain insight that summative assessments simply arrive too late to provide. The most effective classrooms don’t wait to see who failed at the end. They listen closely while learning is still happening. What learning opportunities are we missing by waiting until the end to ask how students are doing? #ZippysClassroom #MakeTeachingGreat #FormativeAssessment #Feedback

I watched a teacher with a group of leaders the other day give nearly every student feedback as she circulated. Eager to see how much better students’ writing was going to be after all that feedback, we walked around the room expecting to see big improvements. From student to student, their work looked exactly the same as it had before the feedback. What gives? So we listened more closely to the feedback she was giving: “You’re missing key details. Go back and revise.” We watched as a confused 7th grader flipped back through the text, unsure where to start. So we helped in the moment by having the teacher adjust her feedback: “You’ve written strong topic sentences for your two body paragraphs—nice work. Your second paragraph is missing two key details, like we named in the criteria for success. Re-read page 71 and find at least one detail to add. I’ll come back in five minutes to check the detail you added.” What happened next? Students’ writing actually improved, and here's the added bonus: so did their connection with the teacher. Instead of feeling frustrated or stuck, they were eager to show her their revisions. That formula — affirm the effort, name the gap, name the fix, and plan the follow-up — is one worth practicing, especially if you have 32 other students you need to give feedback to like she did. When teachers use it, student work gets better, and so do relationships.

All the scholarship on assessment and feedback means little if we cannot translate it into practice. This week I am teaching a course in the Graduate Certificate in University Teaching, where I introduce academics to some amazing scholars who help us think more expansively about how feedback and assessment supports learning goals for students. First, I translate scholarship into principles: 1. Feedback is relational practice Elizabeth Molloy shows how trust, dialogue and psychological safety shape whether feedback becomes usable. 2. Feedback is cultural practice David Boud and Joanna Tai highlight how assessment and program cultures build students’ capacity for future learning (sustainable assessment) and evaluative judgement. 3. Feedback is learning practice Naomi Winstone and David Carless demonstrate that students need structured opportunities to interpret and apply feedback (feedback literacies), not just receive it. 4. Feedback is emotional and identity practice Rebecca Olson and Rola Ajjawi show how belonging, vulnerability and identity shape how students respond to feedback (and how feedback shapes identities). Then I translate these principles into my teaching practice: – Embed dialogue and collaboration (professional learning communities model) across the course – Create feedback conversations in class before assessment is due – Add ‘changes I made because of peer feedback’ as part of the graded assessment task – Integrate self-assessment to build evaluative judgement and use this in marking and written feedback process – Dedicate class time to address all assessment questions throughout the semester – Link earlier feedback to later tasks so students can act on it (scaffold assessment tasks) In my Grad Cert class, academics then apply this work to a subject or supervision context they teach. They identify the explicit role feedback will play and design three or four feedback activities to embed across pedagogy and assessment. This is scholarly teaching: translating theory into practice. It is how we unlock the creativity and academic rigour of university teaching. And it is fun!

The Art of Providing Constructive Feedback: A Guide for Mentors Dear Readers, Thank you for your incredible responses to my recent article on Active Listening in mentorship. Your engagement highlights the importance of our mentorship journey. Previously, we discussed how active listening can enrich mentoring relationships. Today, let's explore another key aspect: Providing Constructive Feedback. Constructive feedback is essential in mentorship, helping mentees recognize areas of improvement and fostering growth. Here are strategies for effective feedback: 1. Be Specific and Objective - Focus on Behaviors, Not Personalities:    Instead of saying, "You need to be better at communication," say, "During our last meeting, you interrupted a few times. Let's work on ensuring everyone has a chance to speak." 2. Use the SBI Model - Situation: When and where the behavior occurred. - Behavior: The specific behavior observed. - Impact: How this behavior affected the team. E.g., "In yesterday's meeting, when you interrupted, it caused confusion, and several team members didn't share their thoughts." 3. Balance Feedback - Start with Positive Observations: Highlight what the mentee is doing well. - Provide Areas for Improvement: Address areas for growth. - End on a Positive Note: Reinforce strengths and express confidence in their ability to improve. 4. Time Your Feedback - Immediate but Considerate: Provide feedback promptly but ensure it’s a good time for your mentee to reflect. 5. Encourage Self-Reflection - Ask Open-Ended Questions: Before giving feedback, prompt your mentee to self-assess. E.g., "How did you feel that presentation went?" 6. Offer Clear, Actionable Advice - Suggest Practical Steps: Provide clear, actionable steps. E.g., "Try summarizing key points at the end of your emails." 7. Show Empathy and Support - Be Understanding: Acknowledge efforts and struggles. Use empathetic language like, "I understand this might be challenging, but with some practice, you will get better." - Offer Help: Let them know you’re available for support and practice sessions. 8. Follow Up - Revisit Past Conversations: Check on their progress to show your investment in their development. Mastering the art of constructive feedback paves the way for mentees to achieve greater self-awareness and professional growth. I invite you to share your feedback experiences. What techniques work for you? Have you faced challenges delivering feedback? Let’s discuss in the comments. Stay tuned for our next article on the importance of Building Trust and Rapport in Mentor-Mentee Relationships. Until next time, happy mentoring! #mentorship #leadership #governance #future #sustainability #impacthub #youth #Entrepreneurs

One of the biggest time wasters in schools this time of year? The evaluation process.   Don't get me wrong. Clear performance evaluation is critical in any industry, especially one as vital as K-12 education.   So many schools get this so wrong. For example, many districts use the Danielson rubric to evaluation teaching. On the NY state website, there is a link to a 42-page Danielson rubric. Forty. Two. Pages. On page 42, the rubric included the instruction to evaluate whether "students create materials for Back-to-School Night that outline the approach for learning science."   Seriously?   The problem is that these 42-page rubrics and full-period observations and hours writing up the reports don't do anything to improve teacher practice. They make good leaders do unnecessary work, and they allow ineffective leaders to hide behind a seriously flawed process.   What's the alternative?   I coach school leaders to support teachers using a simple, 4-page rubric that answers the following questions: 1) Classroom Environment: Do the expectations and relationships create the conditions for powerful learning? 2) Rigor: Are students engaged in content aligned to grade-level standards? Is the teacher intellectually prepared to focus on the meat of the lesson?  3) Feedback: Do students know what high-quality work looks like? Does the teacher affirm and challenge students to produce top-quality work?    4) Thinking: Are students doing the heavy lifting? Are teachers holding all students accountable to do the heavy lifting?    Teachers are observed frequently with a weekly coaching meeting that supports them based on this simple rubric.   Then, at evaluation time, instead of dog-and-pony shows with Byzantine rubrics and leaders holed up in their offices writing long reports and hosting tiresome evaluation reviews, leaders simply replace a regular coaching meeting with a mid-year and end-of-year evaluation that is simple and effective:   Are you on track to meeting your goals? Why/why not? Based on our four key teaching questions, where are you consistently meeting the mark? Where is your top area for growth? What would a plan of support for that area look like?   The evaluation takes the leader less than 30 minutes to write up and less than 30 minutes to do with the teacher and has 100X the impact of long evaluation processes.    

A lot of walkthroughs just check boxes: ✅ Are kids quiet? ✅ Is the lesson posted? ✅ Are they on task? But none of that tells you if reading instruction is actually working. If you want to lead instruction—not just monitor it—you need to look at what the teacher is doing and what the students are doing in response. Here’s what strong walkthroughs focus on: 👩🏫 Look at the teacher: Is instruction direct, explicit, and clear? Are they modeling skills before asking students to try? Are they using language that aligns with your core curriculum? Are they adjusting instruction based on what students need in the moment? 🧑🎓 Look at the students: Are they engaged in the actual skill being taught? Are they sounding out words or guessing from pictures? Can they explain what they’re learning—and why? 💬 Give clear, supportive feedback: “Let’s tweak how we introduce that sound.” “Here’s a quick strategy to reinforce this next time.” Feedback should build skill—not just fill a form. Use patterns to plan support: One walkthrough is a moment. Ten walkthroughs tell a story. If you keep seeing the same instructional gaps, it’s time to revisit PD, pacing, or curriculum alignment. 📌 The Science of Reading Formula helps leaders recognize what high-quality instruction looks like—and gives teachers the tools to do it confidently, every day. Walkthroughs should grow practice. Not just document problems. 👉 https://lnkd.in/gaaSDrJ7 #WalkthroughsThatWork #InstructionalLeadership #ScienceOfReading #ElementaryLiteracy #ReadingInstruction #TeacherSupport #FeedbackThatMatters #CurriculumMatters #PDThatWorks

The worst feedback isn't harsh criticism. It's feedback that teaches the wrong lesson. That focuses on the wrong thing. Some time ago, a teammate launched a new initiative. It was strong—strategic, well-executed. Right after, she asked for feedback. I zoomed in on a minor detail. Something trivial. She thanked me. Six months later during a performance discussion, she brought it up again. She still remembered. Not because it helped—because it confused her. Without saying so, it was evident she was disappointed in me. I hadn’t praised the excellent work. I’d taught her to second-guess it. That moment rewired how I approach feedback. Now, I ask one question first: "What am I teaching by sharing this feedback?” This question has changed how I deliver feedback. → It shifts focus from pointing out problems to developing people → It makes you consider the lasting impact of your words → It helps you choose what truly matters Asking the question is just the start - here's how to put into practice. ---The 3-Step Feedback Filter--- 1. Pause Before Speaking Ask "What message am I trying to send?" ↳ Am I strengthening confidence or doubt? ↳ Will they focus on strengths or weaknesses? 2. Lead With Impact Start with what worked well before addressing gaps ↳ "The strategic thinking here is excellent. Let's build on that..." ↳ "Your execution was solid. Here's one area to amplify..." 3. Connect Feedback to Growth End with development, not just correction: ↳ "This skill will serve you in bigger roles" ↳ "Mastering this positions you for the next level" Before you give feedback, ask yourself... "When I share this feedback, what am I teaching?" The answer will change how you deliver it. And what you choose to focus on. How do you ensure your feedback is focused on developing a person?

The way we give feedback can determine whether someone shuts down—or levels up. The words in the messages are similar. The impact is not. As physicians, surgeons, educators, and leaders, we spend much of our careers giving feedback—to residents, fellows, students, nurses, colleagues, and even our own children. But feedback isn’t just about identifying what needs improvement. It’s about communicating belief. People rarely remember every critique we give them. They remember how we made them feel. When feedback is delivered without purpose, it can feel like judgment. When feedback is delivered with genuine confidence in someone’s potential, it becomes an investment. The best mentors don’t lower their standards. They raise expectations while making it clear that those expectations are achievable. Some principles I’ve found valuable: • Be specific about what can improve. • Explain why it matters. • Reinforce that you believe the person is capable of reaching that standard. • Critique the performance—not the person. The goal of mentorship isn’t to create dependence on feedback. It’s to develop people who eventually hold themselves to an even higher standard than we do. I’ve found that some of the most meaningful growth in medicine doesn’t come from praise—it comes from thoughtful, compassionate feedback delivered by someone who genuinely wants to see you succeed. The difference between criticism and mentorship is often just one message: “I believe in you.” #Leadership #Mentorship #MedicalEducation #Neurosurgery #PhysicianLeadership #ProfessionalDevelopment #Coaching #GrowthMindset #MedEd #LeadershipDevelopment

Great teachers are always refining their craft, not just through feedback from their instructional coaches or principal but through insights they capture themselves. They go all the way out for their own professional growth. What if classroom observation could actively support that kind of teacher-led growth? The strongest classroom observations don’t just support evaluation or coaching. They also support professional development for teachers. That’s where Edves adds value. By highlighting lesson-level instructional insights, Edves helps teachers understand patterns in their practice beyond what may surface during occasional walkthroughs. It provides coaching insights teachers can use to reflect and improve even before a conversation with an instructional coach. A teacher can begin noticing: • How often students are doing the cognitive heavy lifting • Where engagement rises or drops during a lesson • Whether questioning is driving deeper thinking • How instructional moves are shaping the learning experience And that shifts classroom observation from a compliance activity into embedded professional development. Instead of waiting for the next coaching cycle, teachers gain practical insights they can act on immediately to improve teaching quality and strengthen the learning experience in their classrooms. This is what makes schools that use Edves stand out. They don’t just extend instructional visibility for leaders. They create classrooms where teachers clearly understand what’s working and where they can refine their practice. For instructional coaches, it means coaching conversations begin with deeper, more useful insight. For teachers, it means professional growth becomes more continuous, intentional, and self-directed. Because improving instruction isn’t only about receiving feedback. It’s about having the right insights to continuously improve practice in real time.

Lincoln said he’d spend four of six hours sharpening the axe before chopping a tree. That’s exactly how I think about instructional coaching. Recently, I supported a high school math teacher who was struggling with student engagement and pacing. Before stepping into the classroom to observe instruction or offer feedback, we spent our first few meetings "sharpening the axe." 🪓 Here’s what that looked like: 📊 Co-analyzed student work 👀 Reviewed lesson plans and rehearsed critical moments 🗺️ Mapped anticipated misconceptions and how to respond in real time I also posed reflective questions like: 🪓 “What do you want students to know and do by the end of this lesson?” 🪓 “Where in the lesson are students doing the heavy lifting?” 🪓 “How might we make space for student voice and reasoning?” By the time we reached the observation, the teacher was more confident, and the lesson was tight, student-centered, and filled with rich mathematical discourse. The outcome? ✅ Student engagement increased ✅ Misconceptions were addressed in the moment ✅ The teacher said: “That prep work changed the way I think about planning. I felt ready.” 🔑 The takeaway: Instructional coaching isn’t just about giving feedback; it’s about building teacher capacity and confidence through intentional preparation. Preparation is the leadership move. 👉🏾 Fellow coaches and school leaders: How do you “sharpen the axe” with your team before the big moment? Drop your go-to strategies in the comments, let’s learn from each other.