Staff and students need to know that you value their opinions and that you want them to be thinking about how to make the school a better place. One way to emphasize this is to seek feedback on important issues on a regular basis. Use a variety of methods. Get feedback immediately and quickly.
i. After meetings, take five minutes to chart the "pluses" and "minuses" of the meeting; the goal is continuous improvement.
ii. After trainings, distribute a feedback sheet for people to fill out and turn in before they leave.
iii. Set up an email account especially for input on a particular issue under discussion and ask people to share their best thinking via email.
iv. Ask department chairs or cluster leaders to discuss a topic with their staff and report back their best thinking.
v. Use electronic tools such as Survey Monkey so that feedback can be provided in a structured online survey.
vi. Occasionally, provide a written questionnaire on a topic of importance. There are many books available on constructing effective questions and testing them out on some volunteers before sending them out for real. Your district office may have staff who specialize in surveys and statistics. Ask them to assist you with your survey project. You might get feedback in this way on such things as your own performance or parent satisfaction with school programs.
Make an attitude of reflection and analysis a part of the learning environment--something that all students and adults on the campus adopt as a habit. Cultivate the attitude that feedback is essential for good decision-making, for improving processes and programs, and that thoughtful feedback is to be welcomed rather than feared. Giving and receiving thoughtful feedback are important responsibilities of everyone working to make the school a better place.
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