Alwyn Poole
Founded and was the head of Mt Hobson Middle School in Auckland for 18 years. MH Academy is now an in-person private school for Year 11–13. There is now a nationwide online provision called Mt Hobson Academy Connected for Years 1–13.
Superb education research John Hattie (Visible Learning) has “Feedback” in the top 35 factors related to student achievement (out of 256 measures).
I would argue to high-quality feedback has the potential to do even more. In keeping with the work of British journalist and author (and former table tennis Olympian) Matthew Syed – rewarding effort with praise is far more important than recognising the overt result [and] at least fully acknowledge the pathway to achieving it.
In listening to John Hattie at a seminar, his key point re feedback – to staff, students and parents – is mapping out the next step. Children do not have fixed abilities, and development in academics, the arts [and] sports is always a series of mini-peaks (and many, many failures) on the way.
A student of mine who is a remarkable – and still developing – artist produced the attached image to illustrate these ideas. Please feel free to use it in your situation.
NB: I do a significant amount of researching and writing in Education and present as a guest in the NZ Herald, Stuff, Kiwiblog, the BFD, Newstalk ZB, The Platform and others and on Linkedin.
My major research projects/reports are here: https://lnkd.in/gSWGwDp7
I work with a significant number of schools on their data and plans for improvement.
Many of my media items are here: https://lnkd.in/gMk46nYX
I also write a superb Project Based Curriculum that, in the schools that use it, sits alongside subject teaching. Details are here: https://lnkd.in/g8wPyG8f