Planning for Fast Feedback

Fast Feedback in the Math Classroom

Effective feedback is essential for student growth in mathematics; rather than just the correction of “wrong” answers, students need regular feedback on how they choose and use the necessary processes and problem-solving strategies. The feedback cycle should be a routine part of class that helps students understand the significance of that feedback and the steps they need to take to move forward. Fast Feedback makes it possible to quickly give feedback to your entire class on a specific skill, learning goal, or behavior, so that you can make student learning and growth the focus of the classroom.

Here are three practical ways to integrate Fast Feedback into your math classroom.

1. Give Feedback on Skill Acquisition

Give feedback on a specific academic skill each time your students complete an activity or assignment that requires they practice or demonstrate that skill. 

Example – Students often have to solve word problems by determining what the problem is asking, defining variables, and using algebraic expressions to represent the relationship between the variables. Skills such as identifying relevant information to define as variables, selecting and setting up correct equations, and solving for the correct answer are critical in this process. Give students Fast Feedback on one or more of these specific skills each time they practice solving word problems.

• Criterion: defining variables 
• Criterion description: When using an algebraic equation to solve a word problem, you correctly identified the variables in the word problem. 
• Insights: Use Feedback Forward’s data insights to plan for skill modeling, differentiated resources, or targeted support of students who struggle to define known and unknown variables when using algebraic equations to solve word problems.

2. Elicit Evidence of Standards Mastery

Elicit evidence of standards mastery when students complete smaller, in-class assignments or activities that are tied to the same standard, but are not graded. 

Example – Students will spend two weeks mastering the following standard: CC.9-12.F.LE.2. Give students Fast Feedback on their progress towards mastery as they complete smaller formative assignments like classifying sequences as geometric or arithmetic, analyzing graphs to determine the corresponding function, and constructing relationships based on two sets of data points or a description of the relationship between two variables.

• Criterion: CC.9-12.F.LE.2
• Criterion description: Construct linear and exponential functions, including arithmetic and geometric sequences, given a graph, a description of a relationship, or two input-output pairs (include reading these from a table).
• Insights: Use Feedback Forward data insights to plan for academic intervention before assessing the concepts via summative assessment. Identify students who need support with specific skills (e.g. differentiating arithmetic and geometric sequences, relating graphs to corresponding functions, identifying functions based on a description of the relationship between two variables, or constructing functions from two data points) and offer targeted support or differentiated resources.

3. Give Feedback on Executive Functioning Skills

Provide feedback on executive functioning skills as students work individually and collaboratively to complete class assignments.

Example – Students use their self-monitoring skills when they monitor their progress to ensure they complete an assignment in the allotted time, check their work for accuracy (by either performing the inverse operation or plugging their solutions back in to the problem to confirm they’re a correct solution), and make adjustments as needed. Give students Fast Feedback as they check their work for accuracy and correct mistakes independently.

• Criterion: self-monitoring
• Criterion description: When working independently during class, you can monitor your own progress, recognize errors when solving problems, and make adjustments as needed.
• Insights: Use Feedback Forward data insights to identify which students struggle with self-monitoring and need support to complete tasks in the required time allotment and/or recognizing when their work is completed accurately.