What do you do if your students' feedback is negative?

Recibir un comentario negativo de un alumno o estudiante es un regalo. La pregunta que debes hacerte es ¿Qué es negativo para ti o para la institución? Frente a los criterios de evaluación es importante analizar la escala de valores y calificación y además saber si estos comentarios forman parte del cuestionario en cuestión. El primer consejo es, no te tomes nada personal. Ser evaluado forma parte de nuestro campo profesional. El segundo es cruza dicha información con tu coordinador académico o con algún encargado de atención docente. Tercer punto entonces: Indaga, decide y ejecuta un plan de mejora para convertirte en un docente de clase mundial.

Active listening is a crucial skill that conveys both attentiveness and a commitment to self-improvement, both personally and professionally. It is a common misconception among professionals that they have already achieved mastery in their field; however, the truth is that learning is an ongoing process that continues throughout life. Therefore, it is essential to remain humble, open-minded, and respectful of others' perspectives, emotions, and needs. Acknowledging these values will undoubtedly pave the way for personal and professional growth.

Listening attentively not only shows you're paying attention to the other person but also tells the others you're always open to improve and get better as a person and as a professional More often than not, professionals believe they have already mastered everything which happens to be wrong since as long as we are alive we will be learning more and more each day We should be humble, open-minded and respectful of other people's feelings and needs

Negative feedback will always mean something. This needs very good levels of self-reflection and self. Understanding it is sometimes very difficult to reflect upon one's own skills and one's own flaws. This is why you need to listen carefully and you need to be able to read each comment done about and around what you do. You must never undermine the perspective of any of your students.

Honest, the internsparency will be very important for your own feedback and growth as a teacher. This is why it is very, very important to make sure that you are constantly reviewing yourself in an honest matter. Looking at yourself in the mirror is challenging, but it is the key to a successful road in becoming a better teacher. For any level this will apply to the smallest of students all the way to the oldest and most important ones you will ever have.

Seek input from trusted colleagues or mentors to gain additional perspectives on the feedback and its implications for your teaching practice. Keep a growth mindset, viewing feedback as an opportunity for learning and development rather than criticism. Prioritize actionable steps for improvement based on your reflections, setting specific goals and timelines to track your progress. Embrace resilience in the face of constructive criticism, recognizing that setbacks are often necessary for growth and improvement. Remember that self-reflection is an ongoing process that fosters continuous growth and refinement in your teaching journey.

Una de las cosas muy importantes y fundamentales para nuestro crecimiento como docentes es dedicar tiempo a reflexionar, de manera consciente y humilde, sobre el feedback y comentarios (positivos o negativos) que hayamos recibido, especialmente por nuestros estudiantes. Al hacerlo, podemos examinar críticamente nuestras prácticas pedagógicas y considerar cómo podríamos mejorarlas. Personalmente, recuerdo una ocasión en la que recibí comentarios sobre la falta de claridad en mis instrucciones. En lugar de sentirme desanimado, reflexioné sobre cómo podía comunicarme de manera más efectiva con mis estudiantes. Esta autoevaluación me llevó a desarrollar nuevas estrategias de enseñanza que mejoraron la comprensión y el compromiso de mis alumnos.

Negative feedback from a student can help the teacher one way or the other, by making decisions, lecturing, coaching. Also help the teacher knows how the student views on such topics

Cuando recibimos comentarios confusos, a veces es difícil saber cómo actuar. Recuerdo una vez que algunos estudiantes expresaron inquietudes sobre la estructura de mis clases. En lugar de dejarlo pasar, organicé una sesión para hablar directamente con ellos. Juntos, discutimos sus preocupaciones, lo que me permitió entender mejor sus necesidades y aclarar cualquier malentendido. Esta experiencia me enseñó la importancia de abordar las preocupaciones de mis estudiantes con empatía y disposición para mejorar. Considero que la comunicación abierta y efectiva entre el docente y los estudiantes promueve un sentido de pertenencia y confianza en el aula, lo que a su vez puede mejorar el compromiso y el rendimiento académico

Approach the conversation with curiosity and a genuine desire to understand your students' perspectives fully. Validate their experiences and feelings, even if you may ultimately disagree with their assessments. Use active listening techniques such as paraphrasing and summarizing to ensure clear communication and mutual understanding. Be open to constructive criticism and demonstrate humility by acknowledging areas where you can improve. Remember that fostering open communication with your students builds trust and strengthens the learning environment for everyone involved.

Sometimes, it's small changes that can make massive differences for your students. Listening to their feedback is important (with a grain of salt, sometimes) as it can give you important clues into small changes you can make. Is there an issue with access to you? Perhaps staying after class or shifting your office hours can make it easier for students to seek extra help. Are students finding your lectures boring? Take a look at your lecture styles. Are you using simple slides that copy information from their textbook? Can you add engaging visuals/ videos/ activities to help spice things up?

Trazar un plan de acción concreto implica identificar áreas específicas que requieren mejora o ajuste en las prácticas educativas y establecer objetivos alcanzables para abordarlas. Al desarrollar un plan de acción claro y efectivo, se demuestra un compromiso activo con la excelencia en la enseñanza y se fomenta un ambiente de aprendizaje dinámico y en evolución. Por ejemplo, si notas que tus estudiantes tienen dificultades para comprender un tema en particular, podrías diseñar actividades más interactivas o incluir recursos visuales para hacerlo más accesible. Este proceso refleja tu compromiso con el crecimiento tanto personal como profesional, demostrando tu dedicación al éxito de tus estudiantes.

Use feedback as an opportunity for growth and to enhance the learning environment: using negative feedback as an opportunity for personal growth and improvement. When students provide negative feedback, it's a chance to reflect on your teaching methods and classroom management techniques. By taking their feedback seriously and making necessary adjustments, you can create a better learning environment for your students. This approach demonstrates to students that their opinions are valued and that you are committed to continuously improving as an educator.

I'll play contrarian: We should always try to improve, but I don't put much validity in student feedback and rarely read evaluations. They are college kids (in my case)--they don't know anything about pedagogy or have knowledge depth of the content area. However, listening to your top students could prove somewhat useful. Ask them how they think class is going, if an assignment was effective, if a concept "landed" during a lecture, etc. Don't waste time trying to reflect on what low students say. 99% of the time, if students get low grades in a class, they will give low evaluations or offer complaints. That is not an indictment of the teacher. If your best students provide specific, tough criticism, that may be worth listening to.