Teachers Don't Actually Want Feedback. Here's What they do Want

Last updated on September 28, 2024

Administrators have been giving feedback for years, and much like feedback on a student’s paper, the teacher is usually only interested in one thing: Am I doing a good enough job to keep my job?

Kids throw the paper away after looking at the score. Teachers do the equivalent.

The key is to shift the focus from traditional feedback methods to something much deeper. It’s about moving away from simply pointing out what’s “right” or “wrong” and towards building conversations that align with the school’s vision.

In this post, I’ll explore how to make feedback more meaningful, impactful, and supportive—so it’s perceived as caring and practical by teachers, rather than fueling a harmful grapevine.

The Problem: Feedback that Misses the Mark

Veteran leaders often find themselves stuck in traditional feedback loops. They’ve spent years delivering feedback as part of the evaluation process, which too often leads to defensiveness or a perception that it’s judgmental.

As noted in How to be a Transformative Principal, giving feedback that simply points out faults or offers praise doesn’t inspire true change or growth. Teachers, especially experienced ones, don’t want a “glows and grows” session—they want to know how their work contributes to the broader vision of the school.

More importantly, feedback delivered this old, traditional way can create rifts in school culture if it’s perceived as critical or transactional, leading to discontent that spreads quickly among staff.

The Feedback Sandwich: Why It Doesn’t Work

One common strategy that administrators often use is the “feedback sandwich,” where you start with praise, follow it with constructive criticism, and then end with more praise. The idea is to soften the blow of the critique with compliments on either side. While this might sound like a good approach, it often backfires. Teachers see right through it. They’re not dumb.

A feedback sandwich feels like a forced, inauthentic way to deliver feedback, and most teachers don’t appreciate it. It can come across as disingenuous—like you’re just trying to sugarcoat criticism. Instead of building trust, it leaves teachers bracing for the critique and dismissing the praise as insincere.

Veteran teachers, in particular, don’t need or want to be coddled. They’re already aware of their strengths and challenges.

What they truly want is meaningful feedback that helps them see how their efforts are aligning with the bigger goals of the school. This is why the sandwich model fails—teachers don’t want surface-level compliments. They want honest, vision-driven conversations that feel authentic and relevant to their work.

The Shift: From Feedback to Vision-Aligned Conversations

The real goal of feedback should be to ensure that teachers are aligned with the school’s Vital Vision.

As I have learned through working with APs during workshops in New Hampshire, Washington, Arizona, and virtually, administrators and leaders need to view feedback not as an evaluation, but as an opportunity to check whether the school’s vision is being implemented effectively.

Instead of focusing on the small technicalities of teaching, focus on how their work fits into the bigger picture.

Asking veteran administrators, “How is your feedback helping your teachers connect to the school’s vision?” can open their eyes to a different way of approaching feedback. It’s not about telling a teacher what they did wrong; it’s about engaging them in a conversation where they see their role in creating the school’s future.

Teachers don’t just want to hear they’re doing something right or wrong—they want to know how their efforts are driving the school toward its larger goals.

A Practical Approach for Veteran Administrators

For veteran administrators who have been giving feedback for years, an essential strategy is to move the conversation from feedback to transformational coaching.

When they observe a teacher, instead of simply marking off what was done well or needs improvement, they should ask questions like, “How do you think this lesson connects with our overall vision for the school?” or “What do you think is working well, and how can we align it even more with our broader goals?”

This shift moves the focus away from dissection and critique to building conversations that matter.

This aligns well with Craig Randall’s “Trust-Based Observations,” where leaders use curiosity to start a reflective dialogue. Questions like, “What were you doing to help students learn?” and “If you had to do it again, what might you do differently?” bring the teacher into the conversation and empower them to reflect, without the weight of judgment.

Strategy for the 15-Minute Session

When you only have 15 minutes, every second counts! Here’s a quick plan you could use:

1. Start with a Vision-Driven Question: Ask your group of veteran administrators, “How is your feedback contributing to your school’s vision?” This immediately shifts the focus from evaluation to something bigger.

2. Introduce the Concept of Transformational Feedback: Highlight how feedback should be about alignment with the vision, not just correcting mistakes or offering praise. Mix practice with real situations made feedback feel practical and grounded.

3. Engage in Reflective Questions: Encourage them to think about how they’ve given feedback in the past, and what small tweaks they could make to start conversations rather than delivering judgments. Questions like, “What did you notice?” or “How does this align with our goals?” are powerful starting points.

4. End with a Practical Exercise: If time allows, use a fictional case or recent classroom observation to have them practice giving feedback through the lens of the school’s vision. Just as we practiced in workshops for assistant principals, doing this in the session can shift their mindset from traditional feedback to something more transformative.

Why This Works

By shifting from transactional feedback to reflective conversations that align with the school’s vision, administrators can create an environment where feedback is seen as helpful, supportive, and forward-thinking.

This also reduces the risk of feedback being misinterpreted or spread through the grapevine in a negative way.

When administrators focus on the vision, they engage teachers in a shared goal, fostering a positive culture where everyone is working towards the same purpose.

This approach builds trust, encourages open communication, and most importantly, drives real change in how feedback is perceived and acted upon.

Conclusion

Veteran administrators have decades of experience giving feedback, but it’s important to remember that even experienced leaders can refine their approach.

By focusing on conversations that align with the vision of the school, and avoiding strategies like the feedback sandwich, administrators can ensure that their feedback is seen as caring, helpful, and practical.

Teachers want to know how their work contributes to something bigger, and by framing feedback in this way, administrators can foster a positive culture and truly move the needle in meaningful ways.

Have a Good Life.

Notes mentioning this Post

There are no notes linking to this note.