If your class is meeting online, invite your students to bring a pen/pencil and index card with them to class.

All of us face criticism at times, and it’s never fun. But when criticism comes from people who care about us, we should pay attention! What they’re saying may keep us safe or help us become better people. It worked for Peter, and it can certainly work for us.

At the beginning of the lesson, we talked about criticism we’ve received. Think for a minute about the last time you were criticized. Was it helpful criticism, given by someone who cares about you to help you grow? Or was it unhelpful criticism, given by someone who was just having a bad day?

If it was helpful criticism, keep it in mind. If it was unhelpful, feel free to forget it! But for the sake of our closing activity, try to think of a time when someone gave you helpful criticism.

• Would anyone be willing to share the helpful criticism you received? (This may be a difficult topic for your middle schoolers to discuss. Encourage them to share by telling your own brief story first.)
• Have you done anything about that criticism—in other words, has it helped you grow? (Be careful not to shame your teens if they haven’t addressed the problem yet.)

Hand out index cards and pens/pencils to your students. If your class is meeting online, invite them to have those items ready. On your index card, write down the criticism you received. So you might write, “My algebra teacher said I didn’t do my homework,” or “My friend told me I didn’t listen to her when she was upset.”

Now, flip the card over. On the other side, write down something you can DO to grow from the criticism—something that you can realistically accomplish this week. You might write “I’ll turn in my algebra homework every day this week,” or “I’ll apologize to my friend for not being a good listener.” Give your students a minute or two to record their thoughts. 

Criticism is never fun. However, when it comes from people who care about us, it can help us grow. Make a commitment to the action step that you wrote on your card.

Criticism doesn’t have to leave you feeling weak and discouraged. Instead, it can make you stronger than ever!

Close in prayer. Ask God to help you and your students genuinely grow from criticism during the week ahead. If time permits, ask (but don’t require) your students to share the growth plans they wrote down on their notecards.