critical friendship

A critical friend, as the name suggests, is a trusted person who asks provocative questions, provides data to be examined through another lens, and offers critique of a person’s work as a friend – Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick.

Critical friendship thrives on love, which is concerned with the growth of one another. Drawing from bell hooks, who echoes Erich Fromm’s definition of love, ” it is the will to extend one’s self for the purpose of nurturing one’s own or another’s spiritual growth”.

This friendship, scafolded by care, requires trust because there needs to be an understanding that the outcome of the exercise of critiquing is out of an interest in seeing the other succeed.

As such, when assuming the role of a critical friend, one must do so with open & clear communication. One must be an active listener and ask questions in order to understand the practice thoroughly. Without this, the feedback may not be specific, constructive and honest.)

Between Peers (Students)

builds community

encourages sharing best practice

Between Peers ( Two Academics)

What might this look like during the academic year? Unit leaders observing each others sessions? How likely is this to happen on larger courses?

This exercises will be useful in fleshing things out and seeing teaching styles, methodologies and philosophies at work through another lense.

Between the student & teacher (Feedback , Assessments, Crits )

When giving students feedback, we should always takes this approach of a critical friend. This should be a safe space for reflection for both participants.

*critique not critical