Supporting New Teachers Series: Constructive Feedback as a First Step

By NIET CEO Dr. Joshua Barnett

As we close out another school year and look ahead to the next, many educators and leaders are taking the time to reflect on both successes and challenges in their classrooms nationwide. We have seen these challenges firsthand as an organization, and know our profession is challenged with high teacher turnover and lack of attraction to the profession in particular.

Research and leaders cite a lack of support, a positive environment, leadership, and recognition as a handful of reasons that teacher retention remains difficult. This challenge is more pronounced in some areas than others - including schools in rural communities and those serving high-need populations. In addition, 55% of educators have indicated that they are ready to leave the profession earlier than planned, according to a 2023 EdWeek survey. All these trends serve as warning lights on our profession’s dashboard - they cannot be ignored.

In this pivotal moment when educational leaders are strategizing how to retain and attract teachers, I’m dedicating a month to reflect on five key ways we as leaders support new teachers - and discuss each topic with new teachers throughout their first year to see what each support strategy looks like in action. 

Welcome to Supporting New Teachers: A Series. Our first blog covers how we can increase feedback and reduce isolation - let's hear what our emerging educators have to say.

Constructive feedback as the foundation of first-year support

During a conversation with more than a dozen teachers about their first 100 days of teaching, one concept was clear: The more detailed and constructive feedback that teacher leaders give new teachers during observations, the more new teachers have to work with when it comes to improving their instruction. And, in turn, feedback leads to a community of support around new teachers, eliminating feelings of isolation that naturally come with beginning a career.

“I like the observations because I appreciate the feedback. What did I do wrong? What can I do right? All of their suggestions helped me step my game up, and I'm appreciative and open to that. It makes you a better teacher,” one panelist shared.

Many new teachers in NIET partner schools brought up the importance of having a master teacher to give them strategies based on their classroom instruction - incorporating the benefit of having an expert teacher watching the new teacher in person. We have seen that strong onboarding helps new team members learn the culture of the organization, understand their role, work more cohesively, achieve greater results, and stay in the profession longer. Ensuring this knowledge base is firmly established in our school systems to help assist new teachers is a key step at the beginning of their careers. 

It is also critical to note these strategies rarely work when simply placed on top of existing demands. Teacher leader roles need to be filled by highly skilled educators who know how to coach adults, model instruction, support new educators with a variety of preparation experiences and backgrounds - and of course, know the value of quality feedback. 

One of the components that new teachers told us which helped their transition into the classroom and understanding feedback from evaluations, was their instruction of evidence-based rubrics used before entering the classroom. 

“Because we went through the rubric before observation, we know what our goals are,” one new teacher explained. “So we understand what our mentors are talking about when they're asking us questions and giving us feedback because we've gone through it in professional development.”

Detailed feedback cycles diminish isolation among new educators

Many of our new colleagues echoed the same sentiment: Feedback, when constructive and clear, is not only needed but wanted by new teachers to meet their goals in the classroom. Feedback also addresses another challenge in new teacher’s lives - it makes them feel less alone.

While early career teachers are growing into their roles through feedback cycles and professional development, sharing strategies among their peers also eliminates a sense of isolation that can come with entering a new profession - a needed salve for those feeling overwhelmed or alone. 

“I have the opportunity to collaborate with my team seriously every single day. We are a very strong team, and we all get along very well,” one panelist described. “I also had the opportunity to work with them last year, I go to them for everything, and they're like my support system - especially as a first-year teacher.”

When it comes to the first step in supporting new teachers, they shared their needs loud and clear: We must find ways to give constructive and diligent feedback based on school practices and rubrics, and the collaboration that comes with professional development and mentorship through that feedback, in turn, helps build a community of support around our new teachers in the moment they need it most. 

We in the education space must use these guiding strategies to support our early career colleagues to ensure their success and the success of all students.