Criticism and feedback

The ability to take and give criticism is critical to the learning community. Just imagine how little learning would take place if no one told a student what areas needed improvement. Imagine a teacher who just gave A grades with no feedback and few requirements; no one would learn much of anything, but they'd be really happy they got something for nothing.

One of the things I model in Beginning Journalism is the ability to take criticism. I allow the students to criticize my instruction or my ideas. I always tell them and demonstrate to them that criticism of me must never be personal. In other words, no statements like "She is dumb or he is stupid." In Beginning Journalism I actually say things that are downright silly and wait for someone to say something. It usually takes a while and then sometimes no one says anything even for days. Finally, I say something like, "Do you really think that X, Y is correct? Just because I'm the teacher do you think that what I say should be swallowed without any thought?"

Students in advanced journalism continue to model on my behavior. They critique each other's stories, the page layouts, other students' ideas. They become used to thinking and giving/getting feedback on every aspect of their work. This also transfers to other areas of their lives and especially to other areas of their program at school.




			One of the most visible ways students critique one another is through the whole staff critique session that follows the publication of each issue. Click below for a video clip of the class discussing the most recent issue.


	The diagram below illustrates the critical relationships students engage in throughout the course of the production cycle. Each relationship is described below the diagram. Notice how the teacher's role contrasts with her relationship with her beginning students. Click on numbers or scroll down to read the text.




	1-Editors-in-chief to associate editors 2- Associate editors to page editors 3- Page editors to writers 4-Staff to published paper 5-Staff to professional press 6- Teacher to newspaper and professional press Arrows 1 and 2 symbolize the editors-in-chief consultation with associate editors and the associate editors' work with page editors. In many ways this is an advisory role; editors are making sure that articles are edited, copy is ready for layout, communications have been made with the art director. All editors edit stories. The first edits are returned to the original writers to make the changes (arrow 3), and subsequent edits are made during production week, and are motivated both by improving the writing, as well as fitting the space available on a particular page. The most visible critique is observed in arrow 4, the two-day review of the publication, after the paper has been distributed, which concludes each production cycle. Editors and staff comb through the paper page by page both highlighting problems as well as complimenting students on work well done. Occasionally the staff will review another high school's paper, or an article from the professional press in a similar manner to beginning journalism (arrow 5), however this is not a common practice, due to the time constraints of the production schedule. The teacher-to-newspaper pathway (arrow 6) is illustrated with a dotted line because Esther's role is minimal in providing feedback on student work. Occasionally she will interject in a post production critique, and occasionally she will have a side conversation with an editor-in-chief about a particularly difficult or controversial story. Otherwise she does not even read every story before the paper is printed, trusting her students to make good decisions. Next page...