The document discusses the technique of public critique based on Ron Berger's theory of feedback. It provides guidelines for public critique: be kind, be specific, and be helpful. Comments should avoid hurtful remarks and instead focus on precise vocabulary to surgically dissect and improve work. The goal is to help students, not for critics to be heard. Public critique works best if students first carry out in-depth critique of a source before and after peer critique.

1. PUBLIC CRITIQUE

2. TYPICAL PEER ASSESSMENT?
Examples of peer assessment from Year 7 and Year
9 – Using success criteria to assess work

3. PUBLIC CRITIQUE
Based on Ron Berger’s theory of feedback.
oBe Kind
oBe Specific
oBe Helpful

4. PUBLIC CRITIQUE
BE KIND
It's essential that students feel safe in this critiquing
environment.
Students and teachers need to be vigilant against any
hurtful comments: including sarcasm.
Ideally a Public Critique protocol (of these rules) is
explained and agreed by all.

5. PUBLIC CRITIQUE
BE SPECIFIC
 Comments like "your work is good" and "I like it" are not
useful.
Important to focus on vocabulary building in the critique
process.
"if we picture our critique as surgically dissecting a piece of
work to improve it, our vocabulary is our kit of surgical tools. If
we only have words like 'it's good' or 'it's bad' we are trying to
do surgery with a meat cleaver. If we want to dissect the work
carefully and put it back together well, we need a kit of
precise tools" Ron Berger

6. PUBLIC CRITIQUE
BE HELPFUL
The goal is to help the individual student and the class
and not for the critic to be heard.
Students should critique the work and learning, not
the student.

7. AFTER PUBLIC CRITIQUE

8. THE IMPORTANT BIT

9. THE BEST EXAMPLE OF PUBLIC
CRITIQUE

10. THREE WAYS OF USING PUBLIC
CRITIQUE
Gallery - use post it notes around the room
In depth – as a class critiquing the same source
Peer Critique
Ron Berger suggests peer critique will happen most
effectively if pupils first carry out an in depth critique
together; both before and after peer critique.

11. FOR MORE INFO…
 Buy Ron Berger’s book – An Ethic of Excellence: http://www.amazon.com/Ethic-
Excellence-Building-Craftsmanship-
Students/dp/0325005966/ref=la_B001IGNKPW_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350767537&sr=1-
1
 Read work by Darren Mean or Neal Watkin
 See Tait Cole’s blog http://taitcoles.wordpress.com/
 Use other techinques too:
 Medal, Mission, Goal
 SAME (Simple, accurate, measurable & engaging)
 One School's example:
http://superteacherborntoteach.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/picture14.jpg
 Good, Great, Even Better!
 Public Critique