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Time to Teach
20-45 minutes
Tech Needs
No Computers
As my intro students move into more visual aspects of journalism — most notably, photography and design — I like for them to learn how to both give and receive constructive feedback.
In this activity, students present their work, whether a design or a photo, on their computer screen. In front of the screen, they provide a piece of paper folded “hot dog style” (vertically) to create two columns. The column on the left is titled “Things I like” and the right column is titled “Suggestions for improvement.” Students walk silently from project to project providing specific written feedback in each column. One rule: Students can’t repeat something someone else has already written, so as the activity proceeds, it requires more and more detailed responses.
Objectives
- Students will identify what makes a compliment authentic.
- Students will understand why it is important to maintain a positive work environment.
- Students will create authentic compliments for one another. They can think of something that pertains to their job on staff, their job in the classroom, a story they wrote or photo they have taken. It can also be about something out of class or about their character.
Common Core Standards
| CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1 | Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9-10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. |
| CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.4 | Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. |
Materials
- Paper
- Pen for each participant
- 2-3 tape dispensers
Lesson Step-By-Step
1. Prep — 5 minutes
Each participant will need one sheet of paper. Have them trace their hand on the center of the paper. Pair up participants so they have a buddy. After their hand is traced, using a partner, they need to tape the paper to their back.2. Activity — 15-40 minutes (the more participants, the longer this will take)
Students will take turns writing authentic compliments on each other’s paper. Writing their names to the paper are not needed. If more than 15 participants, there may not room. Alternatively, students can fold a piece of paper in half and decorate the front with their name and things that bring them joy. Then, students can participate in a gallery walk, writing comments inside the cards. Compliments can be related to: the job they have on staff, maybe something observed in the classroom/media room; it can be skills-based like a compliment on a story they wrote or a photo they have taken; something outside of class or observed in another class, maybe something about their personality or a compliment about them as a person. The rule must be emphasized that each participant must come up with one authentic, concise compliment for each participant. The time-consuming part of this activity is the time it takes to handwrite on each person’s back.3. Compliment reveal — 5 minutes
After everyone is finished writing, make sure everyone waits together for the reveal. They all take them off their backs at one time and can read what people wrote. The leader can wrap-up with a group question they all need to answer (depending on time and how many participants):- What is your favorite compliment?
- What was your best compliment?
- How do you feel after participating in this activity?
- What can we learn from paying compliments to each other?