From the Principal

The power of feedback

Over the coming days, families will receive student progress reports as part of the learning and feedback cycle. This is accompanied by the opportunity for parent-teacher interviews as we all work together to make a difference in the lives of young people.

Feedback is one of the highest impact interventions that improves student learning outcomes. Done well, students are affirmed and are directed to areas of improvement.

For feedback to be impactful, it must be grounded in three questions:

• What has the student done well?
• What does the student need to improve?
• How does the student go about improving?

Impactful feedback is critical for continuous improvement and personal growth to occur. All students are on their own learning path and the role of the teacher is to instruct, guide and support students to realise individual success.

At GSG, feedback by the publishing of a student progress report is not sufficient by itself. It must be accompanied by continual reporting that includes written comments on assessment tasks, marks, informal dialogue between student and teacher, learning moments that are captured in and out of the classroom via different mediums and ongoing conversations at the family dinner table.

This time of year is a good opportunity for students, teachers and families to take stock of learning progress in Term One and chart a course for improvement and growth in the coming weeks and months ahead.  This is our collective commitment to academic excellence in all we do and say.

Mr Mathew Irving | Principal