Red Pens Are the Work of the Grading Devil

I don't actually agree with the title of my blog. But it sounded delightfully evil and fun and I just HAD to use it. Hopefully all you red pen Nazis won't get offended.

So, I have been told (as the exemplary education student that I am), that red pens should not be used in the classroom. The reason for this is that these pens, which emit the bright and stereotype-ridden hue of failure, lower children's self-esteem. I believe this is because students are automatically discouraged when they are handed back papers riddled with red ink... there is an automatic feeling of failure and inadequacy.

I can understand that students react to red pen in this manner. After years of experiencing brief notes and big Xs on papers, students are trained to see red pen as the sign of inaccuracy and "points off." But red pen should NOT be banned for these reasons. Here is why:

The first reason has to do with the pen itself. Red pen isn't the culprit... it's just the tool of the teacher. And the teacher needs to make sure that he or she defines the manner in which he or she assesses- including the moods of such assessments. This may sound confusing. What I am saying is that if teachers create a classroom atmosphere in which assessment is formative, often, open, understood, and open for student-teacher communication, red pen shouldn't be an issue at all.

To start with, the teacher needs to spend some time at the beginning of the year addressing assessment. During this forum discussion (where the students can and should participate), the teacher should express his or her procedures for assessing, including how students can be involved in the process and what part feedback and revisions play in assignments. An important point needs to be made- that when a student receives a graded paper back, they should not immediately be discouraged or annoyed at red marks, but rather that they should look at the marks as steps towards perfection. Red pen is not the problem. It's the students' reactions ("I'm inadequate", "I failed", "I don't even care or want to try to improve") that need to be changed, not the color of pen used.

The next issue having to do with red pen is accountability. Sure, there are plenty of sources out there which stress student accountability in doing all types of things, from homework to class discussions. But there's a whole lot of weight on the teacher to "make" the class successful or "push" the class towards curricular goals. At the end of the day, the teacher is judged on the success of his or her students. That makes sense, but only if it's being done in an appropriate manner.

Whoever has argued that red pens lower self-esteem have a) bad experiences with assessment and b) habits of babying students. Seriously, kids are capable of so much; don't baby them through life!

What are we teaching kids if we don't challenge them, don't hold them accountable, and don't show them negative consequences? We are teaching them they can slide their ways through life, and that lesson doesn't belong in school.

Students MUST be accountable. There's only so much a teacher can do to help students and encourage success. If students don't put in an effort, it's not fair. It seems that there are plenty of ways today to take the blame off of students, and that's not right. Sure, they can't do everything alone; but neither can teachers.