The
Cornishman reports that Mounts Bay Academy has banned red markers.
Red ink will be replaced with green to protect the self-esteem of delicate English
children. (This is already a common practice in many American schools.)
Vice principal Jennie Hick told The Cornishman: “Switching to the new marking system is certainly
not about us going all soft and fuzzy. Students make more progress if it is a
dialogue and the new system is designed to help that. A teacher will make two or
three positive comments about a student’s homework and point out perhaps one
thing that will take them to the next stage. I think it was felt that red ink
was a very negative colour.”
Wow. I wonder if my editor understands that I would write so
much better if she would use green ink and bracketed every correction with
positive comments. Are teachers unaware how devastating it will be for aspiring
writers to see their work critiqued for the first time as adults? Besides, do
school administrators really believe kids can’t recognize a negative comment if
camouflaged in green ink?
Nothing is more shocking to self-esteem than submitting written
work to an editor. Red ink abounds. I have learned more from editors than from classes, workshops, and how-to
books. I also feel challenged to do as good of work as I am capable of prior to
submittal. I would suggest future authors would benefit from unrestrained critiques
presented in red ink.
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| On the other hand, I do like kind words. |