Your child talks about feedforward. Some parents read about their child’s ability to respond to feedforward in last semester’s report cards. Our teachers habitually reference feedforward. Feedforward is a part of the Living Faith culture.

But what is feedforward?

To explain feedforward, we need to start by understanding feedback.

Feedback is like a post mortem. It’s when we make an assessment of something at the end; at a time when it’s too late to change the outcome. We acknowledge what went well and what could have been done differently. Feedback is provided after the fact, and is merely a way of reflecting on what cannot be changed.

Feedforward, on the other hand, is like prescribing medicine. It’s when we make an assessment of something mid-journey; at a time when we can make a change in order to affect the outcome. We acknowledge what is going well and what can be done differently. Feedforward is provided as part of a process. It involves reflecting on the journey to date and recommending a changed trajectory if required, with the goal to improve in order to reach maximum potential.

When our desire is to be more invested in in learning than assessing, feedforward becomes a crucial element of our classroom culture.

At Living Faith, students receive feedforward from their teachers and from their peers. Students use this feedforward to reflect on their progress and to contemplate their progress from different perspectives. Supported by a growth mindset, students use this feedforward to dive deeper into their learning and to reach new heights of mastery.

- Jane Mueller, Principal