Administrators and instructional coaches spend a great deal of time observing lessons, but the feedback teachers write on student work is often invisible to them. Yet feedback is among the most powerful influences on student learning, and it consumes a large share of teachers' time. A principal who understands what strong writing feedback looks like can support teachers more effectively and recognize good practice. The review need not be burdensome.

Looking at feedback requires a shift in perspective. Instead of judging a lesson, the observer examines a sample of student work with the teacher's comments. The question is whether the feedback helps students improve, not whether it is voluminous or polished. This view also reveals how consistently the teacher applies the rubric and how workable the grading load is, and observers often find it helpful to ask the teacher to choose the papers, since teachers can then explain what they were trying to accomplish.

A respectful review process builds trust. Teachers may worry that looking at their grading is a form of surveillance, particularly when new tools are involved. Framing the review as an opportunity to learn and share practices, and agreeing in advance on its purpose, reduces anxiety. Focus on strengths and next steps, as you would with students, and sharing the criteria you will use with teachers beforehand turns the review into a shared learning exercise instead of an inspection.

Look for specificity, accuracy, and actionability

Strong comments refer to something particular in the student's work, accurately describe it, and suggest what to do next. A comment such as your claim is clear, but the second quotation does not support it, so try one that shows the narrator's motive, meets all three tests. A comment such as needs more analysis does not. Review five or six papers and note the proportion of comments that are specific and actionable.

• Review five or six papers for the proportion of comments that are specific and actionable
• Check that comments and scores connect to the rubric students were given
• Look for a small number of well-chosen priorities instead of exhaustive marking
• Ask how quickly feedback is returned and whether students revise
• Support teachers with shared rubrics, comment banks, and calibration time

Check alignment with the rubric and standards

Feedback should connect to the criteria students were given. Look for comments that reference rubric language and scores that are justified by evidence in the paper. Compare a few papers at similar levels for consistency. Inconsistent scoring is a signal to provide calibration support, not a basis for criticism, and a quick comparison with a colleague's scoring of a similar paper can show whether a score is consistent with the department's standard.

Notice whether feedback focuses on the most important issues. A page filled with line edits and no clear priority suggests a teacher who is overwhelmed or unsure what to emphasize. A small number of well-chosen comments, including a note about strengths, shows judgment. Coaching can help teachers develop this skill, and asking the teacher what they hoped each student would do next is a simple, nonthreatening way to see their reasoning at work.

Consider timeliness and student use

Feedback is valuable only when students receive it soon enough to act on it and have a reason to do so. Ask how quickly papers are returned and whether students revise or apply comments in later work. Look for routines, such as revision time in class or reflection prompts. Evidence that students use feedback is the strongest sign of quality.

Ask students, in a short conversation or survey, what they do with the comments they receive and what they find helpful. Their responses often reveal strengths and gaps that papers alone do not show. Pay attention to whether students understand the comments and feel respected by them. Student voice enriches the picture, and even a handful of conversations across grade levels usually reveals whether feedback practices are consistent across the school.

Support teachers, including with workload and tools

If feedback quality is uneven, look first at conditions. Class sizes, grading loads, and time for planning shape what is possible. Offer support such as shared rubrics, comment banks, calibration sessions, and protected time. Where the school has approved rubric-based tools that draft first-pass comments, check that teachers review and edit them, since a quality check applies to the final feedback students receive, regardless of how it started.

Recognize and spread good practice. When a teacher has a strong approach to feedback, invite them to share it with colleagues, perhaps with sample papers. Build the review into regular coaching cycles and keep records of themes that emerge. A school that pays attention to feedback signals that it values the work teachers do every night, and a short written note of appreciation to teachers whose feedback stands out reinforces the behavior you want to see more of.