Making Peer Assessments Work in Year 7 Art Classes

Helping students give useful feedback to each other in Year 7 art class can be tricky. There are some challenges, but we can also see lots of great benefits.

1. Clear Criteria Issues:

• Sometimes, students don’t really understand how to judge each other’s work. This can lead to different kinds of feedback, which isn’t very helpful.
• Easy Fix: Teachers should show clear examples of what makes art strong or weak. This way, students can better understand what they should look for when giving feedback.

2. Being Fair:

• Students often have their own feelings about their friends' artwork, which can make them less honest when giving feedback.
• Easy Fix: Teachers could allow students to give feedback without showing who created the work. They could also use clear guidelines to help students give fair and honest critiques.

3. Finding the Right Words:

• Many Year 7 students don’t have the right words to explain what they think about their peers' art.
• Easy Fix: Giving students lists of helpful words and letting them practice will help them express their thoughts better.

4. Not Enough Time:

• Teachers might find it hard to fit peer assessments into a busy schedule.
• Easy Fix: Making peer assessment a regular part of the lessons—like a usual activity—can help students get used to it and learn from it more.

By tackling these issues, teachers can make peer assessments a better experience. This will help students improve their skills and grow as artists!