Feedback vs Advice

Most teachers think they’re giving feedback.

They’re actually giving advice.

And the difference matters more than we think.

I ran a training with 1,000+ university faculty.
We ran a simple thought experiment:

A student steps up to bat.
The pitcher winds up…
The ball flies in and the student closes their eyes.
Swoosh.
Miss.

I asked:
What feedback would you give?

99% gave advice:

“Keep your eye on the ball.”
“Don’t close your eyes.”
“Watch the pitcher.”

Helpful?

Sure.

But not feedback.

Here’s the key distinction:

Advice tells students what to do.
Feedback helps them understand what they did.

🧢 Advice:
“Keep your eye on the ball.”

🪞 Feedback:
“You closed your eyes as the ball was thrown.”

🧢 Advice:
“Swing earlier.”

🪞 Feedback:
“Your swing was powerful — but it came a second too late.”

Advice feels supportive.
But it creates dependence.
It solves the problem for the learner.

Feedback does more.
It holds up a mirror.
It turns the learner into the solver.

If you want students to think critically…
If you want them to revise, reflect, and grow…

Stop giving advice.
Start giving feedback.

Because advice says:
“Here’s what I’d do.”

But feedback says:
“Here’s what you did — and what it means.”

And that’s how real learning happens.

Advice talks. Feedback teaches.
The best teachers do less telling — and more showing.