Last week, Cynthia Hill facilitated a discussion on how we interpret the feedback that we receive on papers in both the scientific and humanities field. Whether it is one word comments, gold stars, paragraphs, or checkmarks, feedback can be very valuable. In doing so we, we discovered that there are different motivations and approaches we have to interpreting the feedback. Some of us read the feedback to see how we can improve for the next paper, while others look at the feedback to justify the grade we received. On the flip side, we evaluated the methods of beginning papers and the contrasts we see between when we are given a rubric versus when are given an open topic. Importantly, Hill reminded us that feedback is given ultimately for us to learn and what we do with that feedback, whether it is from teachers, peers, or ourselves, influences what we can gain from our own work.

I appreciated the reminder to make the most of our experiences and learn from the feedback. Yet the discussion about rubrics, grading systems, and writing strategies reminded me about how schooling systems can both inhibit and enhance creativity. For example, giving rubrics and guidelines for what is expected in an essay can limit one’s thought process, and instill the fear to write what is perceived as correct. At the same time, it can ensure detailed thinking of topics that one is unfamiliar with, research and explicate more clearly. In a broader sense, teaching requires presenting a set of guidelines that are expected to be met by all students. Yet just by this small discussion, we have discovered that not everyone brainstorms the same way, or thrives to write with the same guidelines. As a result, it is impossible to cater to everyone’s needs. While this may seem like an unsettling point, we can only assume that the best teachings, the ones that deserve extra gold stars, are the ones that instill the willingness to learn, the curiosity to explore, and the perseverance to excel.