Expert Feedback
Planning Guide Select where you are in your real world learning journey.
Getting Started
Set your goals and understand your commitment.
Finding Partners
Who from the real world will interact with your students?
Preparing
What do you need to be ready to launch?
Launching
Connect your students with real world learning experiences.
Following Up
How will you follow up with everyone after the experience?
Reflecting
Did you achieve your goals?
Getting Started
Understand goals and commitments
Write down your vision and identify student learning goals for the interview event. Use the RWL Activity Planning Worksheet
Determine when to conduct the event(s) in your scope and sequence
Contact your school administration/district to clarify any special clearances you need for students or partners to participate in this activity
Tips
- Decide how you want to structure this activity. Will you need multiple partners? Will students work in small groups or individually?
- Identify which elements of interview prep you want to focus on (resume writing, cover letters, mock interviews or both)
- Consider how many resume or mock interview sessions you need to meet your objective
Supporting materials that can help
RWL Activity Planning Worksheet
A blank worksheet designed to plan the feedback sessions
Finding Partners
Who from the real world will interact with your students?
Contact local organizations like colleges, companies and/or nonprofits with a description of the opportunity
Identify list of potential partners from organizations
Obtain emails and phone contact information
Send an email with your request and interest (see Partner Invitation Email)
Confirm partner(s) participation (see Sample Confirmation Email)
Tips
- Ask your colleagues for successful partners from the past
- Market this to one company and make it a company-wide volunteer opportunity.
- Advertise it within local chambers of commerce/associations that have companies as members.
- Reach out to families. This can be a great way to incorporate family engagement and increase the breadth of potential contacts
- Contact HR departments at local companies and organizations to see if they can connect you to employees who specialize in this type of work
- Local universities can be helpful by connecting to their career services or graduate students who are specializing in working with students on these skills
Supporting materials that can help
Use this template to invite partner(s)
Use this template to confirm partner(s)
Preparing
What do you need to be ready to launch?
Schedule a call with the partner(s) to answer questions and review expectations (see Feedback Tips)
Share resources with students and partners to norm on expectations
Send school media waiver to the partner(s), so you can take photos and share your classroom experience
Arrange a location for the feedback session(s) that has proper space and seating for students and partners to collaborate. Alternatively if partners participate virtually, secure computers and ensure internet access.
Design an execution plan to coordinate a flow for the event:
- Assign students to partners
- Create a rotation order (if applicable)
- For in-person opportunities, print any student materials and evaluation rubrics for discussion
- For video conferencing opportunities, ensure partners and students can access files online
- Stations for student prep and post meeting work (if applicable)
Conduct lesson(s) with the students to prepare them for working with the partner. This should take 1-2 class periods and teaches students how to ask for and integrate feedback (see Sample Lesson Plan)
Optionally provide students with bios of partners as homework ahead of the feedback session(s)
Have students identify the specific feedback they need to improve their project or writing. This can be based on rubrics, your feedback, or both. Record these responses on a spreadsheet to share with partners ahead of the feedback sessions
Tips
- If you don’t have time to do multiple "training" calls for partners consider doing a pre-recorded intro and schedule 30-minute Q & A calls.
Supporting materials that can help
Share these tips with partners ahead of the feedback sessions
Customize this great lesson to get students to understand how to receive and integrate feedback
Launching
Connect your students with real world learning experiences.
Arrange the room that you will be using to allow for direct work between the student and partners (small tables or desks set up face to face would work best)
Greet partners 15-30 minutes before the event
Ensure administrators and front office staff are aware that there will be visitors and there are directions on what to do when they arrive
Introduce the partners and students
Follow through on the execution plan to ensure students and partners are working together as determined in advance
Take pictures and videos to document the event
Tips
- Make sure you print out copies of resumes, rubrics and any additional materials needed
- If students will be working in rotations, a visual display and timer would be helpful to keep everyone on track
Following Up
How will you follow up with everyone after the experience?
Send a thank you email to the partners on behalf of yourself and the class. Share partner survey (see Partner Survey Questions)
Have students write personal thank you notes sharing how they benefited from the experience
Reach out to anyone else who helped in arranging the partners to update them on the event and thank them for their assistance
Tips
- Close the email to the partner with a reference to the future, leaving the door open to more interactions
- Administer partner survey online (using Google Forms, SurveyMonkey or a similar tool) and include with your follow up thank you email
Supporting materials that can help
Sample language and questions to include in your partner survey
Reflecting
Did you achieve your goals?
Reflect on the event with your students (see Student Reflection)
Reflect on the event yourself (see Teacher Reflection)
Share about the experience with teachers and families
Tips
- Share your story. It will help spread good ideas and gain support from others. You can blog about it, share it at a faculty meeting or send out press release(s).
Supporting materials that can help
A sample reflection sheet to use after the feedback session(s)
A sample reflection sheet to use after the feedback session(s)
