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Poem:  The Oxcart Man, by Donald Hall,

Statement of the Whole: When is it appropriate to tell a student they have not done well?  Are negative comments ever appropriate?  What should a student make of long flowing red rivers of ink on their papers?  Jason and Steve consider how to guide students to better work without their having to put up with being berated.

1. Reminder about the Distinction between Art and Science being Key
   1. Is all criticism negative?
   2. Should criticism be used as motivation?
2. War Stories
3. Avoiding the extremes – humane critique is somewhere in the middle
   1. Perhaps the old school was all harshness and correction
   2. But perhaps today we have over emphasized being positive, avoiding all negativity
4. What are the keys to criticism?
   1. Helping the student improve
   2. Aiming the student higher
   3. Raising their taste without crushing their spirit
5. When to hold back
   1. When student is emotionally vulnerable
   2. When the student is complacent and won’t hear you anyway
6. How do you help students to prepare themselves for criticism, to receive it rightly?
   1. Patience
   2. Consistency
   3. Criticism is a bad motivator, so don’t use it poorly
   4. Sort of a horse and water situation