"We all need people who will give us feedback. That's how we improve" - Bill Gates

Years ago, I started asking my students for feedback at the end of each unit with three simple questions.

What worked well for you in this unit?

How could I improve the unit for the next class?

What was frustrating?

I used the feedback to improve learning experiences continually. I stopped doing this during pandemic teaching and returned to the practice last week as I considered redesigning my robotics unit. Looking at the feedback I received on my most recent unit in 6th-grade Makespace, I couldn't help but ask, What was I thinking? Why did I stop this practice?

Asking students for feedback on the structure of a unit or learning experience is a gold mine of information for teachers. By simply asking students what worked well for them and what could be improved, I learned that my students felt rushed during our self-paced drone unit, were frustrated by hardware and partner issues, and loved the time provided to explore and be creative. With their feedback, I will continue practices that facilitate inquiry and adjust to accommodate their needs.

What prompts do you use to get feedback from your students? I would like to help them focus more on the structure and less on the content.