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"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."- Maya Angelou. 

I read a story on a WhatsApp forum about a teacher whose student died because of the statement he made in response to a student's question in class. 

Here is what happened:

One Friday afternoon, this teacher went to class and Olodo one of his students raised her hand to ask a question but according to the teacher, it was such a simple question for anyone in class not to know the answer apart from Olodo because he had covered it in the previous topic. In his response to Olodo, the teacher said, "Will you sit down there with your ugly face, Olodo!" The teacher's response led the whole class burst into laughter making Olodo feel embarrassed. On Monday morning, after attending a Church service on Sunday in which the Pastor preached about "The Power of the tongue", the teacher went to class with the intent to apologise to Olodo for the humiliation he had caused her but didn't find her in class. So he asked her classmates who also seemed not to know her whereabouts. Driven by guilt, the teacher, asked the students who Olodo's friend was; "Aisha, but she isn't in class either", they answered. When Aisha entered the classroom, the students told the teacher "There she is." _ "Where is your friend?", the teacher asked. "She is in the mortuary. She died on Friday and her burial is on Saturday. You're invited Sir!", Aisha replied without looking at the teacher's face. While standing still in shock with some other girls in class already crying, Aisha with tears flowing out of eyes said, "You killed my friend Sir!" "How come?", the teacher asked in shock. 

Later on, the teacher learned that the humiliation that Olodo had suffered in class the previous Friday, left her feel rejected and unworthy. So that evening while absentmindedly crossing the road on her way back home, Olodo was knocked dead by a speeding car. The teacher's unthoughtful feedback killed a student. 

What is feedback?

Feedback is the information provided by teachers or parents to students about their performance, understanding, or behavior. It can be given in form of written comments, verbal discussions (words) or actions. If given carefully and thoughtfully, teacher feedback can be a powerful motivator for learning. It fosters a growth mindset, encourages engagement, and provides clear guidance for improvement, helps students understand their strengths and weaknesses, guiding them towards better learning strategies, ultimately building their confidence and motivation with the aim to guide their learning resulting into improved learning outcomes. It leaves behind a lasting impact on emotional experiences of their learners.

However, if not well thought and given to a student carelessly, teachers feedback (words or actions) can turn into a murder weapon. Many times by giving negative comments and harsh criticism to students, making unhealthy comparisons, excluding some learners or failing to support them in class activities or responsibilities, behaving behaving rudely or disrespectfully and showing favouritism towards certain students, teachers can intentionally or unintentionally "kill their students' esteem" in class creating a negative impact on their students making them lose a sense of belonging, confidence and self-worth creating a hostile and demotivating learning environment.The teacher's negative statement in response to Olodo's question deprived her of self-worth eventually causing her untimely death.

Moral Lesson

Teachers must know that words have the power to kill or give life. Teacher feedback can motivate or kill a student physically or psychologically. Let not your feedback (words, comments or actions) insult, demotivate or demean your students but rather inspire them. They are in school to learn from you. They ask questions because they want to know and learn. Be kind when commenting on their work or responding to their questions.