McREL research shows that feedback may be the most powerful teaching strategy to help students learn. Studies also show, however, that when feedback is delivered in an evaluative or judging way, it shuts down students’ openness to learning and can foster a detrimental “fixed” mindset, casting doubt in students’ minds about their intelligence or abilities. When teachers interact with students in a warm, encouraging manner, their students demonstrate greater curiosity than students whose teachers are rigid, judgmental, or compliance-oriented. This 8-page quick reference guide provides teachers with research-based insights and strategies for providing feedback that encourages student effort and growth.