Creative Ready Interactive Trust I Quiet Useful Easy = CRITIQUE

critique- SOMETHING THAT EDUCATORS SHOULD USE TO INSPIRE THE STUDENT AND NOT SUFFOCATE THE PRODUCTION OF CREATIVITY.


I believe that critiques should be organized to expose students to different points of view. The exposure to diverse points of view and interpretations increases the artist respect of the arts , oneself and fellow artists. It is important to develop trust within the classroom between the students. If you look below you will see a blog underneath Critique, Critique, Critique!... that expresses my student history with critiques in the classroom that have affected my view on critiques today.

I think that the student centered idea of critique in the studio classroom is a fantastic idea. The students develop a sense of communication that is strong and supportive. The students will be prepped on how the critique should go and the purpose of the critique in their art making process. Critiques are extremely important in the classroom. Critiques, when used correctly for the growth of the student body, help develop a dependable team of students that can trust each other. The students are not afraid to share their opinions but know that their opinions are respected, valued, and welcomed. It is important for the educator to implement critiques in the classroom. Critiques improve self-confidence by allowing the students to compliment and praise each other. Positive feedback is IMPORTANT! Allowing the students to critique each other forms a bridge to bring students from diverse cultures, beliefs, race, and gender together when used wisely and constructively.

I like the idea of constructing art criticism vocabulary and beginning critique with each student sharing what they like about the work. The graphic design teacher shared that this approach helps prepare students for college.

Critiques can go wrong in an environment that is not supportive and constructed to esteem the students with constructive criticism. If the teacher is the only one who critiques the work, the opinion of the students in the classroom is not regarded or welcomed. The creator of the work should speak about his or her intention of the work. I visited a site that encouraged each student to assess their own work and share what they might change about the work.

How do I illustrate the importance of critiques in the classroom? How do I ensure that my students understand the importance of critiques? How do I know that the students learned what I intended for them to learn during the critique?

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Critique, Critique, Critique! Are you wishing that critiques would vanish from the classroom?

ARTSEDGE: Art Critiques Made Easy
http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/content/3932/

Informative link. Interesting ideas that I could definitely use in the classroom. I enjoyed the idea of establishing a concrete art vocabulary for the students to use. The art vocabulary would create accurate discussion of the art work. I also enjoyed the idea of the students calling on their peers to respond to each other opinions. Great article!

Student Teaching in Art at Goshen College
http://www.goshen.edu/art/ed/steach.html

This commentary about student teaching raises important questions about critiques. Thought provoking questions that inspire new ideas.

Dawn's Brain-The adventures of a high school web design and graphic design teacher...Leading Students through a First Art Critique
http://www.dawnsbrain.com/?p=23

FANTASTIC! Very simple ideas to incorporate in your first critique. Great site. Honest and sincere instructor sharing innovative ways to form critiques in the classroom. And I learned about California standards in the studio classroom.

Academy of Art University: Grading, Feedback, and Critique
http://faculty.academyart.edu/resources/critique.asp

Really great links such as a successful critique, formats of a critique, and ideas for varying the critique.

Academy of Art University: A Successful Critique
http://faculty.academyart.edu/resources/success_critique.asp

Useful for educators. Cut throat and covers the logistics!

Tips: Formats for Critiques
http://online.academyart.edu/nfo/tips/s6s8tips_formats.html

Explains the pros and cons of student-centered and teacher-centered critiques. The site provides helpful illustrations filled with great ideas! The BEST site yet!

Academy of Art University: Ideas for Varying the Critique
http://faculty.academyart.edu/resources/vary_critique.asp

: ) Fabulous! So many creative ideas on how to construct a critique! I WAS SPEECHLESS. I did not know so many options existed. I definitely adored the idea generating exercise. True creative critiques for dedicated educators in the classroom. Great ideas for young children.

A = Brown Noser! lol.

Well, well! I'm back again with my philosophy of the use of grades in the classroom. Some time ago I believed that grades should be abolished since they are not dependable representations of a students success. I remember conversing with an instructor about grades and saying, "In the art classroom, everyone deserves an A because they are trying." For this blog I must consider past thoughts and philosophies regarding the use of grades in the art classroom. Today, I believe grades are very important especially in the classroom. To me grades are a measure of success, which include academic achievement and personal growth. Grades are useful in honest situations, where the instructor is using the grade to assess the students growth on an individual basis. Not so long ago, I blogged on portfolio assessment. I am still not sure about that form of assessment to determine grades. I have heard about the use of rubrics, and self-assessment, as well as, peer assessment as honest tools to aid the instructor in determining the student's grade.




First, and foremost I would have to assess myself. What do I desire for my students to learn once the course is complete? As a student, how was I assessed and was the assessment successful and clearly explained? In middle school, the completion of the assignment determined the students' grade. In high school, the completion of the AP objective determined the grade as well as the completion of assignments such as painting a still life within 3-7 days and using individual creative sparks to influence the project. In college, the grading system changed a lot. The student could complete the assignment to the best of one's ability and get a grade equivalent to someone who seemed to not care about the course and was definitely not motivated by the grade. I remember asking a college instructor how does one get an A in the class? I recall being extremely surprised at the response and forming the philosophy that grades are insignificant in the studio classroom. How do you precisely grade studio work? I was confident, dedicated, and worked really hard. Instead of just one project I would submit multiple, self-guided projects illustrating my dedication and love for the arts. I was sincere and thought of my work as A work until I received a 3 x 5 sheet of paper. Before the grade was given each student was required to participate in a critique which I concluded was the formal assessment of my work and therefore my grade was formed and based on the OPINIONS of others and not on the hard work and dedication of the student.

With that said I believe that grades should be developed based on the dedication and hard work of the student. For younger students in preschool and elementary I believe that a rubric would be useful. A clear rubric that utilizes vocabulary that is easily understood for the grade level. For older students in high school I believe that the development of grades should include periodic self-assessment (roughly once per assignment). I would include peer assessment but that would be factored into participation. Peer assessment and self-assessment would be paper based. I am not a heavy advocate of class participation derived from class critiques. It is not a considerable way to grade class participation. During class critiques I sometimes feel forced to participate because the participation percentage factored into the overall grade is so high. I glance around the classroom and notice a few who say absolutely nothing, some are not entertained, some seem to be somewhere else and some seem so afraid to part his or her lips. It is truly frightening for some to participate in class critiques especially if he or she is not familiar with their classmate's work or idea. I believe that educators should try to create a trustworthy environment where the students can trust one another, confide in one another and believe in one another. The class becomes a unit not divided by race, culture, gender or creed. Together, the class can learn from one another and be inspired by one another.

How would I know if the students can trust one another? I would use informal critiques to prep students on the formalities of constructive criticism. Observation is essential. Because you want your students to R-E-S-P-E-C-T each other. There is no such thing as failure because shortcomings, questions, and things unlearned are welcomed with a great big hug. This whole idea may seem challenging but I believe when introduced at the beginning of the course it is easier to grasp and comprehend.

The same as the grading system. Grades will be explained at the beginning of the course, preferably the first day of class. I predict 50% of hard work/uniqueness/creativity, 30% dedication, and 20% participation to equal an Awesome A! Hard work is defined by the students work ethic. Once the child enters the classroom he or she should be ready to learn and contribute maximum effort. Dedication is defined by the students eagerness to remain on task throughout the duration of the course. The student would put his or her BEST foot forward! No slacking. The participation would be determined by the students completion of the self-assessment and peer assessment in a thoughtful caring manner. The peer assessment would simply ask the student to describe one or more students work and form a constructive criticism about the work. The self-assessment would simply ask the student to assess oneself. How would you grade yourself? Do you construct outside research? What inspired the work? How much would you sell the work for? Did you use your resources wisely? Are you proud of your work? What important decisions determined the outcome of the work?

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Who is the judge in Portfolio Assessment?

Portfolio assessment offers many advantages for the community. A simple assessment that is easy to grasp and caters to a wide spectrum of ages, class levels, and learning abilities.

Using the portfolio assessment to promote communal involvement is a good idea. The student and parent(s) are aware of the expectations early in the program. The student's progress is assessed based on his or her goals. I actually liked that idea. The student becomes his or her own judge and is responsible for the pass or failure that occurs upon completion of the program. The student is no longer driven by the academic grade but motivated by his or her accomplishments throughout the program.

I was stunned at this particular line: "Participants, their families, funders, and members of the community at large who may not have much sophistication in interpreting statistical data can often appreciate more visual or experiential 'evidence' of success." Initially I questioned whether or not the interpretation of a certain group or class was an accurate conclusion or bias. To me the bias may occur when a whole community is assumed not to have the sophistication to interpret statistical data. Is statistical data the SAT, the weekly geometry test, or the quiz in art class that assesses the accurate memory of artist technique and the genius of Leonardo da Vinci?

If the portfolio assessment does not prepare a student for a standardized or quantitative curriculum, then who and what will? I assume that the student would graduate from this program with great pride and confidence in oneself but unexpectedly faces many challenges ahead. One challenge would be college courses such as statistics, biology and physics. Such courses would present challenges to conform, to be viewed as an equal to peers and ultimately hurt one's self esteem. The grades would not be based upon a portfolio that documents growth and progression but formulas, numbers, and science. Every student would have equal expectations, which include the passing of the class with a satisfactory grade. Then I question what do students really learn from portfolio assessment that can be demonstrated on the GRE, the SAT, the college exam, the driving exam, and/or the money competence test given to cashiers.

The portfolio assessment is not reliable. It is too easy and the standards are not high enough. Should I oppose standardized tests? Standardized tests seem right, justifiable, and equal. And yes I do know that all children are not created equal but it makes sense. I am not convinced that the portfolio assessment is an alternative that is accountable. It is an individual assessment that could be achieved by using other avenues. Could this be used in the math classroom instead of limited to visual arts, or performance art? Can this be implemented across the curriculum?

I agree with the disadvantage regarding time. This is incredibly time-consuming. As an educator you would not have a life. The majority of your time would be dedicated to the one-on-one individualized program. For example, you have 20 students in your class, each with a specific goal and agenda. You may meet with the class twice a week for approximately an hour. Suppose the student does not achieve his or her goals. Will the student feel like a failure? What if the student is a slow learner, so therefore is a slow producer? This is a lot of work.

Another question is who is the judge of mastery of a certain interest. What if I am not informed in video? How do I judge mastery? But I do enjoy the idea of the students applying his or her skills to actual situations. I just hope that they can see a connection? Are the teachers truly reliable? As a parent, how do I know that the teacher is knowledgeable?

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