Although it can be challenging to give students the freedom to critique you and your class (both positively and negatively), there are still many reasons (10, in fact) why you should survey your students at the end of the year, no matter how difficult it may seem.
I have a confession…
One of the hardest things I’ve ever done as a teacher is accept and learn from the feedback of my students.
I know that sounds harsh, but there is something about getting feedback from 9 and 10-year-olds that makes me want to put very loud headphones over my ears and mall walk quickly in the opposite direction.
It’s not that my students don’t know what they’re talking about because, believe me, they do; rather, their opinions are so strong.
At nine and 10 years old, they know what they like and don’t and are not afraid to tell you.
They can be some very harsh and extremely honest critics.
Despite their brutal honesty, I know that getting their feedback is important for many reasons, and I have decided that the positives of doing an end-of-year survey with my students are totally worth it.
So, if you are on the fence and you’re wondering whether or not you should take the time to survey your students at the end of the year, I hope the 10 reasons I’ve listed below will motivate you to consider it.
10 Reasons to Survey Your Students in Upper Elementary
When you choose to survey your students in upper elementary, you are choosing to take the good with the bad, and the great with the honest. Remind students that you want their honest feedback, and then brace yourselves for what they are willing to share because it is often a lot! While reading it, you may find yourself rolling your eyes at times, but you’ll also find yourself laughing, smiling, and shaking your head too.
Reason #1 | Assessing Teaching Effectiveness
End-of-year reflections allow students to provide feedback on the effectiveness of teaching methods, materials, and communication styles. This information is crucial for educators to reflect on their practices and make improvements.
We often expect our students to comment on things like which projects or books they liked (or didn’t), but sometimes, they surprise us with comments about communication and even confusing words we use to describe certain topics.
Reason #2 | Evaluating Student Engagement
I like knowing which aspects of the curriculum or teaching methods resonated most with students. This information has helped guide some teaching decisions with a focus on engaging with students better.
Reason #3 | Identifying of Learning Preferences
Surveys can reveal students’ preferred learning styles and environments. Although this is not the way they put it. These types of preferences are found when students talk in their reflections about liking to work in groups, watch movies, or listen to me talk through something out loud.
This knowledge helps me tailor my instructional strategies to meet the diverse needs of my students.
Reason #4 | Curriculum Evaluation
Although we often know what parts of the curriculum stumped our students, I always ask them about it during our end-of-year reviews.
Their input can inform curriculum adjustments (if possible) and improvements for the next year.
Reason #5 | Insight into Classroom Climate
Students will often talk about the classroom environment and their overall experience as part of our surveys.
I tend to look at these comments in two ways: positive feedback highlights successful aspects or effective strategies, while negative feedback or things students point out as distractions provide opportunities for improvement.
Reason #6 | Building a Positive Learning Community
Surveys, whether done at the beginning or end of the year (or somewhere in the middle), give students a chance to be heard.
By allowing students to share their thoughts, we can foster a sense of community and collaboration.
Reason #7 | Student Reflection and Self-Awareness:
Encouraging students to reflect on their own learning experiences can promote self-awareness.
Surveys, like these task cards, prompt students to think about their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for growth.
Reason #8 | Feedback on Assessments and Grading
The type of feedback students need to be successful is often a matter of personal preference, and sometimes, what works for one student doesn’t work for another.
Learning more about what students like or don’t in regard to feedback and assessments will give you a bigger box of tools to use with future students.
Reason #9 | Identification of Support Needs
Through surveys and reflections, students may express concerns or challenges they faced during the year, some of which you may not have even been aware of.
This information can be highly valuable and can draw your attention to specific situations or needs that you might otherwise know nothing about.
Reason #10 | Continuous Improvement for Educators and Institutions
End-of-year surveys and reflections also contribute to a culture of continuous improvement.
Teachers, departments, grade levels, and schools can use the feedback to refine teaching practices, stay up on current trends, implement changes in policies, and enhance overall educational experiences. When you survey your students, you are getting the feedback needed to make necessary and immediate changes.
So, although I know it may be difficult to put yourself out there, student surveys and reflections can be some of the best learning you’ll do this year. But this time, it’s not about your students’ learning; it’s about yours!
