Teachers have a methodology (always with the -ologies - oy vey!) for giving *constructive* criticism. They call the method, giving a student a *Praise Sandwich*. Yumm yum, can I have mine with extra mayo, to go, thanks. No really. Can I just have a bread sandwich? No filler thanks. I kinda know what's in there and I'd kinda just not have it. I'm kinda allergic? So... if that's okay with you? Yeh? Just the bread for me, ta.

Because whilst I don't mind givin em out (praise sandwiches) I'm less good at receiving them. And also, in all to goodness honesty, some people are less good at giving them out. Some people, like when they're making sandwiches think that rather than waste too much good bread, it's better to pile on the filling, top it up, get your money's worth in there.

But let's just pause a second and make sure we're all together here on the terminology:

praise sandwich

n. criticism prefaced by and followed by compliments.

It's not just that if someone uses that technique with me, I don't see a praise sandwich.

I see someone trying to feed me a shit butty. And I'm not best pleased about.

They may have a smile on their face, but I can smell it, dude. Especially if you're using virtually no bread here. That's hardly a Ryvita's worth. You'd get more bread on a wheat-free diet.

The praise at the front is a faint smile; the praise at the end is a faint well done.

In the middle? Well let's concentrate on what we're here to do. Criticism, right? Yeah, let's get to the meat-of-the-matter. Meat-of-the-matter piled up like bacon at an All-You-Can-Eat-Breakfast.

Immature. I must be. Negative.It's more... to me it's like a turd sprinkled with hundreds and thousands, on a lovely little bed of chocolate buttons. Yeh, thanks for that. It's still a poo and I don't want to even look at it thanks.

see once you know it's a *technique* is it even worth bothering with? It might work great with unwitting schoolkids and youthful types who are a) used to getting feedback & b) don't actually listen anyway - but try it with the next person you meet. On second thoughts, I wouldn't.

Posted by Stipey Sullivan at 18:09 Comments