The Skillful Teacher

Helpful and Unhelpful Evaluations
Evaluation is not, in and of itself, a helpful thing. Evaluations can
be done hurriedly and inaccurately, and they can be communicated
poorly, confusingly, or condescendingly. This is as true for evalua-
tions that praise as it is for those that criticize. Poorly conducted pos-
itive evaluations leave the learner feeling affirmed without knowing
precisely why she should feel this way. Poorly conducted negative
evaluations leave the learner feeling ashamed without knowing pre-
cisely what to do to improve matters. An evaluation is helpful to the
extent that it clarifies for the learner what is meritorious about her
work and what needs further effort. A helpful evaluation provides
clear directions for the future and instills in the learner the desire to
engage in further inquiry. It is written understandably and invites
the learner to discuss with the teacher anything that strikes her as
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unfair, unclear, or unjustified. As a way of illustrating what I mean,
let me give two examples of favorable evaluations—one unhelpful,
one helpful.