TITLE:
Supportive Feedback Received in Finnish Students’ Experiences of Teachers’ Caring
AUTHORS:
Maarit Hosio
KEYWORDS:
Support, Teacher-Student Communication, Feedback, Caring, Teacher-Student Relationship
JOURNAL NAME:
Creative Education,
Vol.17 No.10,
October
27,
2026
ABSTRACT: This paper examines Finnish lower secondary school students’ experiences of receiving supportive feedback in the context of experienced teachers’ caring. Caring, according to research concerning students’ experiences, is seen in personal interactions between students and teachers in informal encounters or communications as well as in student-centered, well-constructed learning situations that increase student well-being and school engagement. The data were collected via semi-structured interviews. The analysis was data-driven, and the results concerning supportive feedback were placed in three communicative situation categories: during lessons, in out-of-class communication and during assessment processes. Because experiences of supportive feedback are depicted in students’ own words, this article contributes to current discussions of students’ well-being in schools and may generate ideas for teachers and teacher educators on how to give feedback in a supportive and caring manner, thereby building caring and supportive teacher-student relationships.