Evaluative Techniques & Feedback

        I remember when I was in elementary school, almost all the teachers would say good, good job and excellent to the students. Because at early age, we are allowed to make any mistakes, and we always make mistakes at that time. Then in the high school, only some teachers would give us positive feedback, since some teachers think we are between mature and immature, so most of them would stand in the middle, but not for all the teachers. In the university, since there are always a lot of students in a classroom, the professor would hardly comment on students’ performance. Instead, teaching assistants are more used to do it, and usually, they know students well.

         I am just wondering, maybe the more teachers know about students, the more comment they will give? Also, positive/negative feedback is also relates to students’ age? Because of in the early childhood, children are still young, so their physical and psychological development is uncompleted; therefore, teachers have to be more careful when they give comment to students. In university, students are adults, so they are more responsible to others and themselves. Thus, with positive feedback, they will use it to encourage themselves; and with negative feedback, they will use it to improve themselves. Without comments from teachers, they will regulate their behaviours by themselves. However, in high school, since some students are immature; therefore, giving negative feedback to a student might hurt his/her pride, discourage him/her.

           Giving feedback is an art, giving effective feedback it not easy, not at all.