Guest post by Dr. Amy Mathews-Perez, a Director of Special Programs in a public school in Central Texas. Connect with Amy on X (formerly Twitter) at @drgrowtoknow, on Facebook at DrAmy MP or at her website dramyperez.com

“That one”…that one chance, that one restaurant, that one memory, that one job, that one student, that one teacher, that one……(you fill in the blank). I intentionally did not indicate if “the one” was positive or negative, I like to leave that up to the reader. Just out of curiosity, though, I’m wondering if you’ll reflect about what your “one”s were, if there was a pattern in your thoughts, and how you can use that to grow.

For this blog, I’m referencing “that one” source of feedback. In my situation, it was feedback from a conference session that I presented. I always seek feedback from the attendees before they leave my session, but then the conference itself seeks feedback as well. The conference feedback is what brought this learning opportunity to me, and I want to share it with you.

First, know that I value authenticity. I also enjoy positive response & engagement whether it is verbal, nonverbal, written, etc.. I don’t mean PRAISE, I mean positive responses like smiles, “ah-ha”, laughter, questions and collaboration. Second, in every session I lead I clearly and repeatedly reiterate that I don’t know it all; that I am a learner and that my best resources are my time and experiences in public education as well as audience response. In this session, there were at least 75 people; it was right after lunch, and folks were coming in to save seats before they left for lunch. This got me excited!!I love a full house for a session because it amps up the energy, creates more opportunities to meet new people, share new ideas and to get more folks actively involved in the learning. Overall, the session went as planned. The attendees accessed the information on their devices, asked great questions, provided original stories/examples, learned from each other, and interacted with the strategy I provided. There were prizes, music, examples, non-examples, laughter, and an acronym that made the strategy easy to remember. We all learned together.

A few weeks after the conference, I was provided session feedback from the host entity. Here are screenshots of this feedback:

The first thing that got my attention was the “less-than-positive” feedback on each question. The second thing I noticed is the number of responses. You’ve probably already figured out that approximately 32% of the attendees provided feedback through the conference entity. Being sharply attuned to things I can and cannot control and strongly believing in this mentality, I immediately began to “analyze” the 32% data I had versus ruminate about the 68% I did not have.

• Is “the one” person who provided the neutral or negative feedback the same person in multiple questions?
• Did I directly interact with “the one” person? (Did I make that person feel “seen?”)
• Was there one (or more) specific thing – fact, example, story – that yielded the responses of “the one?”
• Did “‘the one” actually attend my session? (just being transparent about my processing)
• What do I have within my power/skill set/actions to prevent this in the future? (NOTE TO SELF: the goal is not to be “liked” but to be effective in sharing & facilitating learning)
• What can I learn from “the one?” (the lowest ratings)

At this point, my self-talk voice this: Be brave enough to seek feedback, perceptive enough to accept it, and smart enough to learn from it. The details about what I’ve learned from “the one” thus far (because I look at this feedback frequently) would be another blog, but I’ll share the top five concepts of my learning.

NUMBERS DON’T EQUATE VALUE. Don’t dismiss the “minority” – the smallest percentage of types or content of feedback as worth less than the larger percentages.

REPEAT & REFLECT. Repeat the session in private with a lens of reflection. Be intentional in reviewing information that was planned and be diligent in recalling what spontaneous learning points occurred during the session…could those have been reframed? Be more attentive to spontaneous opportunities.

REVIEW & REPLAN. Review all feedback with a variety of lenses (the conference feedback and the feedback I got from attendees at the end of my session). Replan how the session will be different next time.

THAT ONE MATTERS. All feedback matters. The power I give “that one” is directly related to my growth as a person, professional, presenter and collaborator.

MAINTAIN FOCUS & AUTHENTICITY. My presentation style & information/examples/stories may not resonate with everyone; my purpose will continue to be my primary focus and I can consider ways to adjust how I demonstrate authenticity.

I’m grateful for the opportunities to share my passion, whether it is through breakout sessions at conferences, in-district training, keynotes, conversations, consultation and/or collaboration. As a life-long learner, feedback perpetuates my self-acclaimed label as an “Experience Expert” because I learn from every experience. Granted, it may take me more than one (or three) experiences to learn a lesson, but I will learn it. I’m a teacher at heart, so if my experiences and/or my sharing of how I process information help others learn as well, that is awesome. As I finish this blog I am preparing for a breakout session at the same conference; different topic, but the same audience type and I am super excited about it! If you’d like to know about the feedback I get, let’s connect via my website (dramyperez.com) or X @drgrowtoknow. Growing together makes us better. 🙂

About Amy

Texas-born & raised, Amy is in her 32nd year of serving public education. General Ed. Teacher, SLP, Diagnostician, SPED Supervisor, Assistant Principal, Principal, and Director of Special Education are roles she’s held. She is the CEO of Making Education Special for All (M.E.S.A), an LLC dedicated to training, facilitation, consultation, and speaking engagements that revolve around information, motivation, and insights on why and how to make education special for all stakeholders as well as leadership. Her passions are communication, joy, authenticity, and empowerment. “Life is short but our influence is never-ending,” and Amy is committed to connecting with others through service and smiles.

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Dr. Rachelle Dené Poth is a Spanish and STEAM: What’s Next in Emerging Technology Teacher at Riverview High School in Oakmont, PA. Rachelle is also an attorney with a Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University School of Law and a Master’s in Instructional Technology. Rachelle received her Doctorate in Instructional Technology, and her research focus was on AI and Professional Development. In addition to teaching, she is a full-time consultant and works with companies and organizations to provide PD, speaking, and consulting services. Contact Rachelle for your event!

Rachelle is an ISTE-certified educator and community leader who served as president of the ISTE Teacher Education Network. By EdTech Digest, she was named the EdTech Trendsetter of 2024, one of 30 K-12 IT Influencers to follow in 2021, and one of 150 Women Global EdTech Thought Leaders in 2022.

She is the author of nine books including ‘In Other Words: Quotes That Push Our Thinking,” “Unconventional Ways to Thrive in EDU,” “The Future is Now: Looking Back to Move Ahead,” “Chart A New Course: A Guide to Teaching Essential Skills for Tomorrow’s World, “True Story: Lessons That One Kid Taught Us,” “Things I Wish […] Knew” and her newest “How To Teach AI” is available from ISTE or on Amazon.

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