NESSA’S NOTIONS: Take your medicine and get better
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By VANESSA W. SNYDER
I’m wondering if feedback is just another word for criticism.
It’s not. Dictionary.com defines feedback as a “reaction or response to a particular process or activity.” (I already knew that but needed confirmation).
The sting of feedback is real, especially when you’re on the doctoral journey. Sometimes you just don’t want to hear it. And don’t get me started on disagreeing with the feedback and trying to challenge it.
Today my chair finally sent some feedback I was waiting on and oh-so-anxious to receive. Now I can move forward in my doctoral process. As I’ve said before, opening emails from your chair is a scary act, but there’s no way around it.
Sitting here after absorbing the feedback, I’m feeling some kind of way. I’m glad it came because now I know what to work on. But it doesn’t feel that good. As an educator who consistently delivers feedback to teachers, the shoe is now on my foot.
And guess what? It’s not much fun. I don’t necessarily feel as professional and mature as I expect my teachers to be when they’re on the receiving end.
In this case, much of the feedback I’ve received over the past few years relates to scholarly writing. Though I consider myself a good writer (at least before beginning this project) writing in a scholarly fashion doesn’t come naturally.
The point I’m trying to make is this: Feedback is about growth and about mastery. It’s important to keep that front and center.
Still, it’s hard to accept that I’m not a whiz at scholarly writing. However, that’s the truth. I have to take my medicine (i.e., feedback) and get better so I can finish this journey.
The broader lesson is something all of us can learn from. In what areas have you had to accept feedback in order to improve? We can’t grow without taking constructive assessments and applying them to areas of life. School, work, relationships … all of these elements can be better with proper feedback.
Our challenge is to take it, incorporate it, and advance.
You can guess what I’ll be doing this weekend.
(A former journalist currently working on her doctorate in Social Emotional Learning, Vanessa is a dedicated and passionate educator in the DC Public Schools system. She loves learning, leadership, innovation, collaboration, and discovering new ways to drive student gains and support staff members).
