Feedback

As I finished with a mini-lesson and my students got to work one day this past week, I sat down and watched them all working.  I wondered what learning is to my students...what does it look like?  What does it feel like?  What a gift it might be to be able to see their learning through their eyes.

Think about how much we might learn about our instruction and the effects of our words and strategies.  Would we see what we thought we might see?  Would we be surprised?

I spend a lot of time being real with my students asking for feedback, but... I wonder how real it is and how accurate the feedback might be.  My students tend to want to see me happy and might be telling me what they think I may want to hear.  Or...not.  I can't really know.

So...

I have been thinking about video taping myself.  I have been looking at using one of those new style of video cameras that follow you while you move.  I believe they even have a wearable microphone so I would be able to hear my conferring with students.

I am not sure if it would be the same or have the same effect as knowing the effect that my teaching has on my students, but it would allow me to be critical of my teaching while learning what I can improve upon in a safe, non-evaluative way.

Yes, I want to be the best teacher that I can be.  I want to be effective.  I am a believer that the more aware I am of what I am doing, intentionally, the better and more effective I can be for my students.

Be Mindful.

Peace.

Mark Levine

#Mindfulliteracy
@LevineWrites