Last updated on Apr 6, 2024

What do you do if your teaching skills need enhancement through professional development feedback?

As an educator, realizing that your teaching skills could benefit from enhancement is the first step towards professional growth. Professional development feedback is a valuable tool that can highlight areas for improvement. It can sometimes be a challenge to accept this feedback, but viewing it as an opportunity rather than criticism is key. Embrace the feedback with an open mind and consider it a roadmap to becoming a more effective teacher. The journey to refining your teaching skills is continuous, and with the right approach, you can transform feedback into actionable strategies for success.

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Selected by the community from 5 contributions. Learn more

1 Seek Feedback

Actively seeking feedback from colleagues, mentors, or educational leaders can provide you with diverse perspectives on your teaching practice. Engaging in open conversations about your performance and requesting specific examples can help clarify areas that need improvement. Remember, feedback is not just about identifying weaknesses; it's also about recognizing strengths and building upon them. Constructive criticism should be welcomed as it paves the way for professional development and helps you to tailor your approach to meet the needs of your students more effectively.

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DINESH KOTKAR

Sports Teacher in Vidya Valley School,Avid Mountaineer
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First thing first is realising and accepting that your teaching skills could benefit from enhancement is the first thing that you're on path on the growth 📈. Ya seeking feedback from your colleagues and professionals will definitely help to get the path to develop your skills.

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Indigo Vining

tutor at Maniapoto Training Agency & owner/director/manager of Whenuakura Kikorangi
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Having worked in some very isolated school settings, I have come to value off-site PD opportunities and the networking that comes with it. Foster relationships with educators from other settings. Sometimes they have similar experiences which are supportive to you and sometimes understanding how their challenges are different from your own gives you a chance to see your challenges from a different perspective.

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Professor Luciano Ferreira

Professor Especialista em Business English, há 24 anos lecionando em multinacionais, agora lecionando online.
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If you feel your teaching skills need enhancement through feedback, consider the following steps: 1. Seek Feedback: Ask colleagues, supervisors, or students for constructive feedback on your teaching methods, communication style, and engagement techniques. 2. Reflect: Take time to reflect on the feedback you receive and consider how you can incorporate it into your teaching practice. 3. Professional Development: Attend workshops, conferences, or seminars focused on improving teaching skills. Look for opportunities to learn from experts in the field. 4. Peer Observation: Arrange for a peer to observe your teaching and provide feedback. Similarly, offer to observe and provide feedback for your colleagues.

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2 Reflect Deeply

After receiving feedback, take the time to reflect deeply on the insights provided. Consider how your teaching methods impact student learning and engagement. Reflection allows you to critically assess your teaching strategies and identify which areas align with best practices and which do not. Through this introspection, you can develop a more targeted plan for professional development that addresses the specific aspects of your teaching that require enhancement.

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Indigo Vining

tutor at Maniapoto Training Agency & owner/director/manager of Whenuakura Kikorangi
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I like the concept that every person can at least serve as a bad example. A teacher who is constantly reflecting learns from both successes and failures. Sometimes we learn what NOT to do....

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3 Set Goals

Setting clear, achievable goals is crucial for translating feedback into actionable steps. Your goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). By outlining what you aim to improve, you create a focused path for your professional development journey. These goals will serve as benchmarks for your progress and help maintain motivation as you work towards enhancing your teaching skills.

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Indigo Vining

tutor at Maniapoto Training Agency & owner/director/manager of Whenuakura Kikorangi
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When teaching students about SMART goals I use the example of reading a book. If you set out to read a book, you may or may not achieve. If you set out to read a minimum of a set number of pages per day or per week, you create S.M.A.R.T. goals: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic/relelvant and timely.

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4 Pursue Training

To address the areas of improvement identified through feedback, consider pursuing professional development opportunities. These can include workshops, seminars, online courses, or even advanced degrees that are designed to improve teaching skills. Training sessions not only offer new techniques and methodologies but also allow you to connect with other educators who can share their experiences and insights.

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5 Implement Changes

Implementing the changes suggested by feedback is where the real growth happens. Start by integrating new strategies and techniques into your lesson plans and classroom management. It's important to apply these changes consistently and monitor their effectiveness over time. Be patient with yourself as you adapt to new methods; it's normal for adjustments to take time before they become natural parts of your teaching repertoire.

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6 Evaluate Progress

Regularly evaluating your progress is essential to ensure that the changes you've implemented are positively impacting your teaching. This can be done through self-assessment, student feedback, or further professional reviews. Evaluating your progress helps you understand the impact of the enhancements you've made and guides you in making any necessary adjustments moving forward.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What do you do if your teaching skills need enhancement through professional development feedback?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Seek Feedback

2 Reflect Deeply

3 Set Goals

4 Pursue Training

5 Implement Changes

6 Evaluate Progress

7 Here’s what else to consider

K-12 Education

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What do you do if your teaching skills need enhancement through professional development feedback?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Seek Feedback

2 Reflect Deeply

3 Set Goals

4 Pursue Training

5 Implement Changes

6 Evaluate Progress

7 Here’s what else to consider

K-12 Education

Rate this article

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