I often find it difficult to give constructive feedback to other people. I fear that if anything I say rubs off the wrong way, it can lead to more problems. This is why I appreciate the fact that I will be able to practice giving constructive feedback in this class! I hope this will help me become more comfortable giving feedback, along with receiving feedback from others to improve upon my own writing.
One article about giving constructive feedback that I really liked is Adam Grant's "How to Give Bad Feedback Without Being a Jerk." Often times, people try to justify using simple tricks like the "compliment sandwich" to provide constructive feedback. Unfortunately, as Grant points out, that doesn't usually work, because 1) the person to whom you are giving feedback braces themselves after a compliment, expecting the worst, or 2) they won't really remember your feedback, only the compliments, according to the serial position effect. I liked his tips on how to give feedback. There are several ways to give feedback, and depending on the circumstances, you can try different methods that will work best. One of the simplest ways to offer someone feedback while knowing that they won't get too defensive is to simply ask if they want feedback! As Grant writes, if people feel as if they are taking ownership over the feedback they receive, they will be less upset when they receive it. This is a trick that I will definitely keep in mind.
I also really like Alfie Kohn's "Five Reasons to Stop Saying 'Good Job!'" If we keep telling someone "Good Job!", we are imposing a judgment, and people, kids in particular, do not like being judged. Judgments like these are also superficial; you aren't encouraging someone to keep doing something on their own if you just praise them. That person may instead rely on that particular praise to keep doing something, rather than acting for their own sake, or improvement. I think this is often how grades work. If all the student cares about is the grade, they aren't really learning anything. If they instead receive feedback and specific ways to improve, then they learn from their mistakes and gain a deeper understanding.
I recognize the importance of receiving constructive feedback, even more so than receiving positive feedback. I love when people comment about a personal connection they made or a specific thing that I wrote that caught their eye. It makes me want to work even harder on my writing so I can enjoy even more personal connections with readers! I think, going forward, I will try to do the same when commenting on other people's posts, citing things that caught my eye and offering specific pointers to narrow down opportunities for improvement.
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