Tough Critiques or Too Nice?
I tend to find it hard to critique work from students that have learning needs, or a disability. I don't want to pass them for just doing the work, but I also do not want to trash their work because they are not truly understanding the concepts. Anyone else find this to be troublesome?
Joseph, I have had similar challenges - especially with entering students. In most of my subjects I am able to apply assessments in various forms such as written, oral, multiple choice quizzes, classroom assignments, and midterm/final projects. This diversity of assessments allows the student to demonstrate their degree of mastery of the material by not limiting their assessment vehicles. If the student demonstrates an extreme deficiency in reading, writing, oral skills, or math then tutoring and/or remedial classes can be advised.
Anthony,
great point made here regarding using a variety of assessments. I think really that is a key factor as it helps the students to demonstrate knowledge in a variety of ways.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
This can be difficult but you have to put it into the proper context. I do the student a disservice if they don't get graded as critically as the others and then try to get a job with subpar work. When the work involves decisions that might hurt their chances for success in the real world, this is an opportunity to teach a lesson about professional decisions and their impact. The really hard thing with physical disabilities is the brutal nature of the workplace. While there may be employers who would patiently wait for results or change their workflow to help an individual out, time is usually money, and that fiscal assessment usually falls on the side of productivity at all (or most) costs. I try to be as supportive as possible while working to develop those crucial skills as much as possible within their limitations.
brian,
this is a good point & one that obviously needs to be handled delicately. While we don't want to discourage students, we need to be honest with them regarding their skills & their potential for getting a job.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
some students are used to learn with alot of critisisim other you you ahve to be a bit more linean but they have to understand the work
jose,
important criticism can be delivered in a kind & helpful way.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I think it comes down to whether the student is really trying and still isn't grasping the concept, or if they are falling back on their deficiency and assuming the instructor will pass them anyway. Digging deeper into the situation would be my plan of action.
Jana,
excellent point! And in order to do this, we have to really know our students.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I try to critiue each student orally. Make sure that I balance needs for improvement and noted successes or improvements. It is important at the begining to provide models of success and failures.
I'm a writing teacher and often have ESL students in my classes. One thing I've done is opt to grade more for content, ideas, and structure. I do mark grammatical errors, of course, and give all students the opportunity to revise for improved credit. I also discuss problems they have regularly and take time to reiterate grammatical concepts they struggle with. This way the students have an opportunity to see their errors, discuss them in context, fix them, and resubmit for improved credit.
I use the same technique with students as I did when my daughter was a child - praise first, make corrections second. I point out what was good about the assignment, then I tell the student next time, try adding this or that. It usually works well and students don't feel as though you are disapproving of their work.
In my classes we have critiques often and I have to agree here. Always talk about what was done well first and save the negative for last. I require and encourage all my students to take part in critique and I often find they will follow my lead with good first then negative last.
Acie,
so true & make sure the critique is focused on actions/behaviors, not the person.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I find some students expect you to be lenient, or get upsat because they did not get a perfect score in lab,
If we elect to "pass" students solely because they tried, we are doing them a huge dis-service. This just allows the students to use their "disability" as a crutch (or excuse), rather than helping them to learn or develop skills and tools to overcome their deficiencies, and ultimately does not equip them to be successful in the career field.
I feel it is more important to praise them for their efforts and give constructive criticism so they can learn from their mistakes.
Barbara,
excellent point & we must be mindful that we are preparing them for a career & are we setting them up for success in that area?
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Some students with learning needs I will allow to fix their work and resubmit. I also discuss their problems in a kind way so they can try to have a better understanding of their mistakes and the material.
