In an attempt to take a term beyond its ‘literary’ meaning, and to have an original way of understanding and using this term, I chose to divide the term ‘Feedback’ into its original roots and establish a kind of a positive relation between them.
     The first root ‘Feed’ is to give nutrition (to feed) so that the being will not wither and die, since without food no one can survive. ‘Back’ is to give it again and again till the other gets used to it and starts savoring its taste. This process is similar to introducing solid food to infants for the first time. They refuse, reject, spit and cry demanding the familiar taste of milk. Still when introduced repetitively, they acquire a taste for it and thereby start to form new nutritional habits that help them to thrive.
     Now ‘academically’ speaking, what is ‘Feedback’ and how should it be implemented in the classroom to help students have high self esteem and boost their morale. More over, why should it be positive?
     Feedback is to give back what should have been there in the first place, i.e. supply what is missing, in its needed quantity. As for being positive; it can not be otherwise since the purpose is nutritional.
     As food is for the body, knowledge is for the mind. This analogy is valid throughout the teaching/learning process. Yet, how should we as educators use this term correctly so as to stimulate learners to improve their performance.
     I will relate my experience as a teacher with this term and its positive use, and how it affected all my assessment and communication with students.
     As a teacher I was kind of familiar with this term, but like many it was not positive. We used traditional ‘cliches’ which I discovered later were void of real meaning, and de-motivating for many. The use of: weak, poor, fair, good, acceptable and the like are what is called lip service or pen service to fill a box in the report card.
     My experience with ‘feedback’ started seven years ago I was the academic teacher for high school students in one of the specialized schools, where dyslexic, autistic, ADHD and the like students were enrolled in a one-to-one program where they were integrated, at a later stage, in normal schools. Most of those students, although brilliant in a way, were academically low achievers. They needed therapy and counseling and it was somehow frustrating to see the slow, if any progress throughout the academic year. Needless to say their results were poor.
     Time for report cards distribution came and the principle told me to prepare my reports, (nothing compared to what we are used to). Each report takes a lot of preparation for it covers all areas, skills, competencies, behavior etc and paragraphs are written to explain the development of the students.
     I was confused as to how to fill all these spaces, and with what, certainly the above mentioned clichés will not occupy much space. I had to prepare the reports for the PTA, which will take place in a week time, where I was supposed to talk to parents. The principle told me it’s not difficult; simply say something negative in a positive way. And she gave me a sample of one of the already prepared reports.
     As I was walking to the teachers’ room I thought how can I tell a parent whose child failed and whose average is 25/100 something positive? It’s nonsense.
     The report was amazing, I read it with the eye of a parent and not a teacher at first and felt the difference. Some of the remarks were s such:

• Progress, although slight, is detected.
• He can do it, trust him.
• His spelling improved, so he is working hard. (8 mistakes instead of 10!!!)
• He is not using all of his potentials, give him time. Etc…

   Then, as a teacher, I started to analyze these remarks, and found that they are negative remarks stated positively and later in the PTA they worked like magic for both students who were apprehensive, and parents whose expectations were intensive all due to the teacher who was so comprehensive of their needs.
   From the principle’s perspective they do not need much effort. They need to be introduced and the creativity of the teacher in twisting facts diplomatically does the trick.
     Teaching such students was frustrating in itself. Progress might be minimal and you, as a teacher should be very patient. I tried to use oral feedback on the spot with one of my dyslexic students, and it worked. Shy to read, I used to ask him shall I read. Or do you want to read? He used to say no at first, you read. Dyslexic students can not read correctly and do not want to admit it. I made him think that I believe he can do it by asking him often again, till one time he started reading despite the number of mistakes, he felt he can do it. You can imagine how it will work with normal students.
     Motivating students is what the whole learning process is about. Using positive feedback when it is needed is certain to push this process forward. I learned how to use it with students with special needs, and started applying it with normal students. You can feel its impact the minute you utter it if orally, or the minute the student reads it on his exam paper. It takes no effort from the teacher, it renders efforts on the part of the student.