Teaching Students to S.H.A.R.E. Building a Feedback Culture in the Music Classroom

 As music educators, we know how vulnerable it can feel to share creative work. Whether it’s a short melody, a full song, or an in-progress idea, putting your artistic voice out into the world—even a classroom world—can be intimidating. That’s why cultivating a meaningful feedback culture is one of the most important things I do in my classroom.

To help my students learn how to give feedback that is kind, constructive, and useful, I use the acronym SHARE. Feedback should be: 

• Sincere

• Helpful

• Actionable

• Relevant

• Explicit

This framework reminds students that giving feedback is just as much an act of courage and responsibility as receiving it. We talk a lot about how "sharing" requires vulnerability, and that when we give feedback, we need to treat someone’s creative risk with respect. The SHARE acronym gives us shared language for doing that. Let's break down each of the elements and how they might show up in the classroom. 

Sincere

The first rule of good feedback is that it must be honest. But sincerity doesn’t mean bluntness or cruelty. We talk in class about how sarcasm or "joking" critiques can land as insincere, and that false praise can be just as unhelpful. When students say something positive, I ask them to really mean it. What specifically made them connect with the piece? Why did it resonate? Sincerity lays the foundation for trust.

Helpful

This might seem obvious, but we name it anyway: feedback should help the creator. If the feedback doesn’t move the work forward, deepen understanding, or support growth, it might not need to be said. Students learn to think: "What does this person need to hear in order to grow as a songwriter or musician?"

Actionable

Vague feedback is hard to use. So we focus on giving comments that offer concrete ideas, suggestions, or questions that spark direction. Rather than saying "It feels off," we might say, "The rhythm in the chorus doesn’t seem to match the verse—what would happen if you tried a half-time feel there instead?"

Relevant

We ask: Is your feedback actually about the work? Sometimes students offer comments about the performer’s voice, or how the song reminds them of something unrelated. While those thoughts might be valid personally, we learn to keep our feedback tied to the prompt or task at hand. I encourage students to separate creator from song and focus their feedback on the craft of songwriting. 

Explicit

This one is a game-changer. We practice saying what we mean, clearly. Rather than "It was good," we might say, "I liked how your lyrics painted a picture of loneliness in the second verse—that stood out to me." Clarity is a kindness, especially when someone is feeling vulnerable about their work.

If you want a poster of the "SHARE" image for your classroom, click here! 

I Notice, I Wish, I Wonder: A Scaffold for Constructive Feedback

To help students who are new to feedback or feel unsure of how to phrase their thoughts, I often introduce the "I notice, I wish, I wonder" structure, based on the work of Burvall and Ryder in Intention: Critical Creativity in the Classroom.

• I notice is about observation. It helps students name what is already there. For example: "I notice your chorus repeats the same line three times, which makes it really stick." This helps the songwriter learn what stands out to the listener. 

• I wish invites the student to offer a gentle suggestion. For example: "I wish the bridge built more tension musically before returning to the final chorus." This can be subjective, but also offers ideas for revision.

• I wonder allows for open-ended thinking. For example: "I wonder how this song would feel if it started with the chorus instead of the verse?" Again, these are critiques that can help students "try on" something new with their song.

This model creates space for curiosity and compassion. It softens critique while still making it useful. Most importantly, it trains students to think like collaborators, not critics.

Building the Culture

None of this happens overnight. In the early weeks of class, we practice feedback with low-stakes creative exercises. We read or perform short works and try out the SHARE model together. We reflect on how feedback feels to receive, and how it feels to give. We talk about body language, tone of voice, and the importance of asking permission before offering critique.

By the time we get to peer songwriting critiques or performance feedback, students are ready. They know the value of clarity, kindness, and actionable insight. They’re used to asking each other questions like, "What kind of feedback are you looking for?" or "Can I offer a suggestion?"

We also make time for larger conversations—what’s working in our feedback process and what needs to improve? Students help shape the culture, which makes them more invested in it.

Final Thoughts

Teaching students to SHARE and to use reflective structures like "I notice, I wish, I wonder" has completely changed the creative climate in my classroom. Instead of feedback being something students fear or avoid, it becomes a regular part of our process—a conversation built on trust, empathy, and shared purpose.

When students learn to give feedback with intention, they become better creators, listeners, and collaborators. They carry that mindset far beyond the music room. And that, to me, is one of the most meaningful outcomes of teaching songwriting in the first place.

What structures do you use to build a feedback culture in your music classroom? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Songwriting, 

Sarah XOXO