The VPA Dept. has been discussing some observations we have in regards to how students critique art in their VPA classes…


In general, here’s what we see: when students are asked to give “positive praise” we often hear comments like, “good job,” “I like your song,” or “it makes me think of…” Essentially, nice words but nothing that provides the artist with true feedback on their artistic process and/or final piece.


So, to help our students provide more specific ways to offer praise, in both Digital Photography and Interactive Music Studio classes, we tried giving students a few note cards with artistic vocabulary terms (including the definition) and encouraged students to use them when sharing aloud in class. This was helpful and in general, we found the quality of what students offered improved.


However, we continued to notice that students struggled when giving and taking constructive critique. Students steered clear of offering anything that might be seen as constructive, probably because they fear that their comments will be seen as negative and fear any sort of backlash. So, how do we change this? How do we create an environment where students can offer constructive criticism? What tools do we give them to offer criticism? And then, how do we help students act upon the feedback and suggestions given?


I would love to hear what other teachers do in their classrooms. What works for you?