Red Ink/Correcting school work

[Matryoshka]

I find this very interesting. I always avoided X's, thinking them the more "vicious" of the marks :lol:.

 

:lol: I avoid those too! I put check marks next to what's wrong, as in "check this." Dh has started checking one of dd13's math - he finds my check marks "stupid" and goes with the X's. :lol:

 

As for implements, I alternate between colored pencils (Crayola erasable) in any color that shows up well enough to be seen (green, purple, red and orange are favorites), or I do alternately have a supply of yes, red pens, but they are Erasermates. My kids seem much happier if I can erase the offending mark once they've corrected it. :D When they were little, I did start out using just pencil, but it was too hard to see. Bring on the color!

[swellmomma]

I use whatever color I have on hand. Red is usually right there in my pencil cup so mostly that, but sometimes purple, green, orange etc. THe kids have not been traumatized by red or any other color. I don't use x's though. If a problem is wrong I circle it and we go over it together. The LOVE seeing a page of red (or other color) check marks with a high % at the top of their page though.

[OH_Homeschooler]

Personally, I'm a pragmatist (lazy) and just pick up whatever's near. However, when I first started hearing about teachers not using red ink anymore it made me suspicious.

 

I find it hard to believe it's just about the color...it's basic learning theory. Bad news+ink color=bad feeling for the ink color. Great, so you switch to blue instead of red ink, but now isn't the kid going to fear blue ink as well as red ink?

[Emmy]

I correct work immediately and then go over mistakes with them - I think that is a huge benefit of homeschooling. I do specifically choose not to use red ink to correct - but that's my own baggage not theirs LOL. I typically correct in a pink or purple marker. My children insist on a big A+ on pages where they missed nothing (despite the fact that we don't really "do" grades).

[Guest Dulcimeramy]

8 things that public school and homeschool have in common:

 

1. Children

2. Adults

3. Books and other educational materials

4. Writing Implements

5. Writing Surfaces

6. Clocks

7. Bathroom facilities

8. Lunchroom facilities

 

8 things about public school that can never be duplicated at home, no matter how many blackboards, desks, or red pens the parent purchases or utilizes:

 

1. Overcrowded classrooms

2. Detention for the bored

3. Compulsory gym class

4. Bullying

5. Peer pressure

6. Stupid fads

7. Stupider curriculum

8. A label for every student

 

8 things about homeschool that can never be duplicated at public school, no matter how loving and caring the teachers and administrators:

 

1. Individualized, interesting, and globally-competitive curriculum, no matter how poor the school district in which the family lives

2. One-on-one instruction in every class

3. Students being allowed to abandon provided desks and sprawl out on the couch with their books instead (or take them up a tree, or wherever)

4. Every student allowed to talk without raising his hand

5. Every student allowed to get a drink of water or use the bathroom as nature decrees and not by permission only

6. Time to pursue unique learning experiences, including travel, advanced sports, internships, farming, political or religious activities, and more, without having to choose between those pursuits and a good high school education

7. No permission required to hug, kiss, or wrestle with teacher or other students

8. Disciplinary measures fit the beliefs and methods of the family

 

So, really, the use of a red pen and a few desks and bookshelves at home does not signify anything at all! I can't make my home be like the school, and the school can't imitate homeschooling, either.

[Matryoshka]

I like the idea of using purple though. Now, where to find a few purple pens.:glare:

 

Staples sells boxes of purple, erasable correcting pencils. :D Maybe some schoolteachers are traumatized by red as well... :tongue_smilie:

[Pamela H in Texas]

I usually use a highlighter. We always have tons of them nearby and it's easier. And it's less "harsh" than red pen. That is what my son's 1st grade teacher (he went to school for 8 weeks ever) used also.

[Quiver0f10]

I use red but have also used crayon, pencil, highlighters, sharpies etc. Can you tell how organized I am by mid-year? :D

[brightside]

I use a red correcting pencil. I find it amusing the way education institutions in my area are more concerned with self-esteem instead of actual learning through corrections. The use of red for corrections is actual banned at my local PS.

[NanceXToo]

I use a pencil.

 

Red ink corrections make me cringe.

 

:iagree:

[laurad1125]

I use red ink because it's easier to see. They can't correct what they don't know is wrong. I think reasonable expectations and requirements do more to support a child's sense of self than what color marks I use and what shape they are when I note mistakes ....

[jewellsmommy]

8 things that public school and homeschool have in common:

 

1. Children

2. Adults

3. Books and other educational materials

4. Writing Implements

5. Writing Surfaces

6. Clocks

7. Bathroom facilities

8. Lunchroom facilities

 

8 things about public school that can never be duplicated at home, no matter how many blackboards, desks, or red pens the parent purchases or utilizes:

 

1. Overcrowded classrooms

2. Detention for the bored

3. Compulsory gym class

4. Bullying

5. Peer pressure

6. Stupid fads

7. Stupider curriculum

8. A label for every student

 

8 things about homeschool that can never be duplicated at public school, no matter how loving and caring the teachers and administrators:

 

1. Individualized, interesting, and globally-competitive curriculum, no matter how poor the school district in which the family lives

2. One-on-one instruction in every class

3. Students being allowed to abandon provided desks and sprawl out on the couch with their books instead (or take them up a tree, or wherever)

4. Every student allowed to talk without raising his hand

5. Every student allowed to get a drink of water or use the bathroom as nature decrees and not by permission only

6. Time to pursue unique learning experiences, including travel, advanced sports, internships, farming, political or religious activities, and more, without having to choose between those pursuits and a good high school education

7. No permission required to hug, kiss, or wrestle with teacher or other students

8. Disciplinary measures fit the beliefs and methods of the family

 

So, really, the use of a red pen and a few desks and bookshelves at home does not signify anything at all! I can't make my home be like the school, and the school can't imitate homeschooling, either.

 

:iagree: and the bolded made me laugh :lol:

[WiseOwlKnits]

When I was teaching, I corrected in any color EXCEPT red. The kids seemed to take red corrections more personally than any other color.

 

I usually correct DD's papers in pencil as soon as she finishes them, with her sitting next to me and watching. I don't even own a red pen, although I've been known to use markers, crayons, and colored pencils of various shades. :)

[Just Beachy]

Interesting thread..... until now, I have always just grabbed a pencil and circled whatever needed to be corrected. Just this morning, however, I bought some red pens. My youngest has asked me to use them, so it will be more like "real school." I know it really won't be and it really isn't a big deal to me, so I'm happy to do that for her.

 

BTW, I had a teacher in high school that had his own personal stamp made. It was a 2" "BS." He also had a red ink pad to go with it. It backfired, though. Getting one of Mr. Barber's BS stamps became a desirable, hip thing to have after awhile, so kids started trying to get them on purpose and failing his tests in the process. They became quite the fad in the spring, and I often wondered if he used the stamp again the following year. He had used it for years without incident. Hmmmm.....

 

:) Beachy

[pqr]

Between homeschool "school" rooms that look like mini classrooms and red ink-you might as well send your kids to school.

 

 

 

If schools actually educated children and maintained standards I would.

 

As to healthy children being traumatized by red ink.....I simply do not believe it.........psychobabble and bunk. A child traumatized by this is in for a hard time once he leaves the home.

Edited July 28, 2011 by pqr

[Meriwether]

I use red pencil. It can be erased after they correct the problem.

[ereks mom]

When I was a school teacher, I stopped using red ink and started using purple. I wrote exactly the same things in purple as I had in red, but it looked a lot less like I had bled all over their papers.

 

The students argued with me much less when I used purple ink, and seemed to respond to the comments as helps rather than criticisms.

 

I don't know if it was because of the color itself or because it was different from what all the other teachers did. But there was a difference.

 

Same here.

[ereks mom]

I find this very interesting. I always avoided X's, thinking them the more "vicious" of the marks :lol:. I like the circles because I can put the check mark inside the circle after the correction.

 

:iagree:

[ereks mom]

http://www.tuftsdaily.com/teachers-who-use-red-ink-are-likely-to-grade-students-work-more-harshly-study-finds-1.2380704 Edited July 28, 2011 by ereks mom

[DarlaS]

I use a pencil.

 

Red ink corrections make me cringe.

 

:iagree:

 

I do grab colored pencils though so I can tell my writing from theirs. It'll be green, orange, blue or whatever. I don't specifically avoid red though.

[Meriwether]

Personally, I'm a pragmatist (lazy) and just pick up whatever's near. However, when I first started hearing about teachers not using red ink anymore it made me suspicious.

 

I find it hard to believe it's just about the color...it's basic learning theory. Bad news+ink color=bad feeling for the ink color. Great, so you switch to blue instead of red ink, but now isn't the kid going to fear blue ink as well as red ink?

 

This is what I always thought, too.

[Nakia]

I haven't read all the replies, but I have never used red pens to correct. Anna and I go through her work together, and she circles the ones she misses so she can correct them. For Emma, I circle the ones that aren't correct, and she corrects them. I usually use whatever is closest, and that is most likely a pencil.

Edited July 28, 2011 by Nakia

[Diana B]

I only correct my son's page when requests it. He usually wants a grade written at the top. When I do this, I use what ever is handy, usually a blue or black pen. Sometimes a marker. I don't think we have any red pens. {this is all for math}

 

I suppose when he starts writing more, I'll probably want something for correcting papers he's written. Colors are good because they stand out. I don't have a thing against red (or any other color).

[Ewe Mama]

I use anything to correct papers. I did buy a couple of red pens when we stocked up on supplies the other day. DD saw them and was very excited because red is her favorite color. That wasn't my purpose in buying them, though. I'm just tired of blue and black ink!

 

(The) Beauty (of red ink) is definitely in the eye of the beholder. :001_smile:

 

DD is happy and so am I.

[Aubrey]

I like red because it's easily visible, but I'll take any color that's easily visible. So not blue or black, usually--too close to ea other & to pencil color. Green is good. Purple's usually fine.

 

Crayons are too thick to really make comments w/. Can you tell I was a writing teacher (& not math, where a giant X usually suffices)? :lol:

[Aubrey]

Personally, I'm a pragmatist (lazy) and just pick up whatever's near. However, when I first started hearing about teachers not using red ink anymore it made me suspicious.

 

I find it hard to believe it's just about the color...it's basic learning theory. Bad news+ink color=bad feeling for the ink color. Great, so you switch to blue instead of red ink, but now isn't the kid going to fear blue ink as well as red ink?

 

We used blue pencils when I worked on the newspaper in college. And, yes, the writers feared the Blue Pencil of Death that visited the paper in the middle of the night. The next morning was like a zero-oxygen blood bath. :lol:

[Heather in OK]

I correct their work in their favorite color. :)

[ereks mom]

I try to use other colors besides red. My daughter (16yo) thinks it looks like her work is beaten and bleeding if I use red. There are so many other colors that show up just as well. I buy turquoise, purple, orange, hot pink, lime green, etc.

[SquirrellyMama]

I correct their work in their favorite color. :)

 

That sounds like fun. I might give that a try. Kelly

[EKS]

I use pencil when grading tests because I sometimes make mistakes. When I edit written work, my older son has told me that he prefers me to use red ink because he can see it better.

[Peela]

I used any colours other than red- sometimes red but rarely. Often I used pink- it seemed close enough to red, but without the associated trauma :) My kids probably didn't care a hoot.

[mcconnellboys]

I started out checking papers in red with my older son and he asked me to stop. And he was still pretty little! It impressed me. It had never occurred to me that it might be traumatic in any way. Since then I've just used regular pencil. I don't think it stands out enough, but it seems to bother both of them less than correcting in pen of any color. I think that mine just don't like to see their work mangled....

[Heather in Neverland]

Huh? :confused::confused::confused:

 

I still don't get what the fuss is about corrections in red ink. Are there really that many folks out there so thin-skinned that the occasional red mark on their page upsets them?

 

What I remember being traumatized about in school growing up was all the nasty social stuff- bullying, cliquishness, gossip, etc.

 

:iagree:

 

Beware the evil red ink pen! Bwa-ha-ha

[Mama2Many4]

I use red. I just can't break away from that small minor detail that I remember from my own childhood.

[kalanamak]

I use red pencil because it makes him sit up and notice. I give checks and Xs. He loves to see those checks.

[Mama2Many4]

I correct their work in their favorite color. :)

 

I have one that loves blue, another that loves pink. Those would work. But I don't think the yellow that my oldest son likes would show up to well. :tongue_smilie:

[Mynyel]

I voted what ever is close. However, I try not to use red ink. When I pulled dd13 from school the teacher she had (which was the absolute worst teacher ever) she used red ink for everything. She wrote her nastygrams home to me in red. She scratched my signature out og my daughters planner in red. She did everything in red and made me see red.

 

I avoid red pens if possible.

[Mama2Many4]

I voted what ever is close. However, I try not to use red ink. When I pulled dd13 from school the teacher she had (which was the absolute worst teacher ever) she used red ink for everything. She wrote her nastygrams home to me in red. She scratched my signature out og my daughters planner in red. She did everything in red and made me see red.

 

I avoid red pens if possible.

 

Understood. :grouphug:

[Embassy]

LOL - crayon. I picked that option. Finding something to write with can be a challenge sometimes.

[JennyD]

I use whatever is handy -- usually a pencil. Any red pens we may have are generally out of ink because my kids adore the color red for their own writing/scribbling.

[ereks mom]

I started out checking papers in red with my older son and he asked me to stop. And he was still pretty little! It impressed me. It had never occurred to me that it might be traumatic in any way. Since then I've just used regular pencil. I don't think it stands out enough, but it seems to bother both of them less than correcting in pen of any color. I think that mine just don't like to see their work mangled....

 

My dc are the same way. EK doesn't like me to use ink on her work, but purple or pink don't bother her nearly as much as red.

[Hoggirl]

but I probably should have put "other." I used red ink AND green ink when I corrected my son's writing. I would put comments, both good and bad, in red ink, and it always looked awful. So, I started using green ink for my positive comments and red ink for my, um, room-for-improvement ones. That way, ds had an immediate overall visual for my opinion of his papers. :D

Edited July 29, 2011 by Hoggirl

[OLG]

Well, when we first started hs'g, I used red ink because that's what they used in school, right? But one day, ds made some comment about 'all the red' ink and how red ink reminded him of the brick and mortar school we had yanked him from half way thru first grade, so I never used another red pencil/pen from that day on. It was more fun, too, with purple and green etc.

[jewellsmommy]

http://www.tuftsdaily.com/teachers-who-use-red-ink-are-likely-to-grade-students-work-more-harshly-study-finds-1.2380704

 

 

Well, if the article is correct and it is true that public schools are moving to purple ink, then the next generation will have the dreaded purple ink syndrome. You just can't win. I guess the only thing to do is to have a different color every month :001_huh:. This way we can equally offend :lol:.

 

To quote my dd "I don't really care what color you use. Just don't use my glitter pens!" Dh is finding this whole thread hilarious. I told him its his fault that I had to ask :D.

 

Personally, I love my red pen, and I have a whole box to go through so they are not going anywhere.

[Leighton Academy]

I love collecting ink pens in many colors so I grab whatever pen is the closest. Sometimes the circled wrong answer doesn't always stand out so I may even highlight it too! So far, my boys have no problems with any color I use. I always circle wrong answers and expect them to write the right answer alongside. With writing, I simply make editing marks or write comments.

 

My boys really don't care about me writing on their work. They only mind the time it takes to correct the answer but that's it. :D

[jewellsmommy]

Well, when we first started hs'g, I used red ink because that's what they used in school, right? But one day, ds made some comment about 'all the red' ink and how red ink reminded him of the brick and mortar school we had yanked him from half way thru first grade, so I never used another red pencil/pen from that day on. It was more fun, too, with purple and green etc.

 

 

The funny thing is, I don't remember red ink in school until I got to college. I don't think my teachers used red ink :001_huh:. They didn't use purple either. I do remember some red pencil, which always looked more pinkish. I prefer the look and feel of ink.

[Mom0012]

When I was a school teacher, I stopped using red ink and started using purple. I wrote exactly the same things in purple as I had in red, but it looked a lot less like I had bled all over their papers.

 

The students argued with me much less when I used purple ink, and seemed to respond to the comments as helps rather than criticisms.

 

I don't know if it was because of the color itself or because it was different from what all the other teachers did. But there was a difference.

 

Great idea! I use red ink because it stands out enough that the kids can easily see what they need to go back and correct, but I bet purple would work just as well.

 

Lisa

[Mom0012]

I find this very interesting. I always avoided X's, thinking them the more "vicious" of the marks :lol:. I like the circles because I can put the check mark inside the circle after the correction. Dd is very sensitive, in general, but does not seem to care about the color. She loves BIG checks. Ds does not seem to care ether way. As long as a sticker ends up on the paper at the very end, they are fine. They get to pick the sticker, of course.

 

The one thing I feel strongly about, is that I immediately check over the work, while it is still fresh in their mind. I don't like the wrong answers or info. marinating in their heads.

 

I avoid "X"s as well and usually either circle the error or make a small arrow pointing to it. I also put big red checkmarks next to every single thing they get correct.

 

Lisa

[fhjmom]

I use a box of Crayola fine tip markers and the color I grade in coresponds to the subject (History=red, Science=green, math=yellow, etc.). The kids have a big 3" binder that all school work goes into once it is graded ands corrected that has the same color coded tabs. Grading it in color makes it easy for them to know what tab it goes behind.

 

I never use an "X". I might use a " \ " but I usually circle, underline, line down the side or write a correction over the top (like for handwriting).

 

I also am generous with checks, postive comments, stars and smilie faces.

[Aubrey]

I use a box of Crayola fine tip markers and the color I grade in coresponds to the subject (History=red, Science=green, math=yellow, etc.). The kids have a big 3" binder that all school work goes into once it is graded ands corrected that has the same color coded tabs. Grading it in color makes it easy for them to know what tab it goes behind.

 

I never use an "X". I might use a " \ " but I usually circle, underline, line down the side or write a correction over the top (like for handwriting).

 

I also am generous with checks, postive comments, stars and smilie faces.

 

I circle sometimes, but that makes it harder (for me) to see what's been corrected: I mark over the X w/ a giant, cursive "OK."

 

Another option, though, might be erasable colored pencils. I've been using those (not for grading) more & more. Perhaps they should get a promotion. :D