has anyone heard of that new theory that you cannot use red pens, or correct childrens spelling nemore?

Question

I heard a new theory that you cannot use red pens when grading childrens work, or if they hand in a journal entry and say they spelt gym "jim" you cannot correct it because of their self esteem? has anyone else heard of this and if you have what do you think??

Answer 1

Haven't heard of an official policy on this, but when I was teaching high school English, I used green or purple for correcting papers and tests. I used red for the first couple of years and even when I wrote a positive comment, the student immediately thought it was negative.

As for spelling, I usually didn't correct that either and would circle the mistake. It's up to the student to see his/her own mistake and correct it. I always accepted re-writes on essays, so the grade wasn't final after the first time. For me it wasn't about self-esteem, but rather about the learning process and teaching a student to self-monitor his/her work.

Answer 2

I had never heard of that before now and I must say it sounds ridiculous.

I think that every time there is some new theory about what harms a child's self esteem people should take a good look at the individual who first devised the theory. I'd be willing to bet that it is an adult who refuses to let go of some emotional wound they suffered as a youngster. Instead of learning from it, the person would rather hold on to the hurt like a security blanket and try to make people feel like the whole world owes them something. They do this by insisting that whatever unresolved issue that they are still tussling with ruins the self esteem of every child. These theorists, if that is a word, lend to a lot of the mess that is in the world today. Many of our children are lost because they are looking to the adults who are unable to set an example for them because they are still stuck in their own childhoods.

Again I say, ridiculous!

Answer 3

The red pen thing went around several years ago. It was said then to use purple ink because it isn't threatening or negative to the child!!! I saw it on a TV show the other day again.In journaling I think it is ok to misspell as long as they are writing. If they slow down to correct spelling they may lose thoughts or creativity. For homework and tests and essays I believe all words should be correct or counted wrong.I was always told I was too hard on the 5th grade because I thought they should answer in complete answers instead of one word answers. I had the students write the question and answer because it would help them as a type of study habit.The students are not taught how to study.They only memorize a few single words, which most teachers put on the board for them to choose from.That makes a pretty good chance of a good grade when you have the word to go in the blank! There is no desire to learn in that situation, nor do they remember it later.They don't even need to learn to spell these important words from the lesson! No wonder our kids are not learning!

Answer 4

No way! I hope this isn't being practiced in too many places. There are many grey areas in life, but spelling is not really one of them. (Well, except that grey can also be spelled gray, and stuff like that.)

Red means "caution" and it helps kids identify what's gone wrong. And when a kid can self-correct, it's actually an EMPOWERING experience!

Please. I have met many people on the internet with bad spelling, but some of them had really important, good things to say. Yet, they get treated like idiots because they don't spell-check. What's worse for self-esteem? Having a teacher correct spelling, or having peers mock you?

There are many things in life one can not help. But that doesn't mean one should just give up on it. Spelling takes recognition that something is wrong, and practice to get it right. Taught properly, it should be empowering, not degrading.

Answer 5

Yeah. I'm a middle school teacher and there has been a trend for the past decade or so to value kid's self-esteem beyond all else.

NCLB is pushing that aside, however. The best thing for student's self-esteem is academic success in a REASONABLY supportive environment. The best path to academic success is rigor and very high, but attainable performance expectations.

I use a red pen all the time. It is a disservice to the child to overlook spelling errors. The key is to make certain that your corrections and advice are constructive and never personal.

Anyone who tells you not to correct student errors is a first-rate fool.

Answer 6

Yes!! I have heard of it. Are you in the U.K. I am. I'm a teacher and I think it is totally ridiculous!!!!! How are they ever going to learn that they have the wrong spelling if you don't point it out??? Also, red pen shows up so it's easy for them to see where you've marked or made a comment.

It's about learning, that's what exercise books are for.....to practise.

They do get chances to write things up for 'best' with the correct spellings in place.

What is teaching coming to????????????

I despair!!

Answer 7

I have heard of that a while back. I also saw on the news just last night to that there are schools that are banning kids from playing tag because they are worried about childrens' self esteem being hurt by being "it." It seems to me that we are supposed to walk on egg shells around our students and for the most part, be dishonest to them so they feel good about themselves. How are they going to feel as adults when they haven't yet experienced the feelings of disappointment or rejection?? It's scary....

Answer 8

I consider the previous reply of the moon touchdown. My peers all feel I am nuts for now not believing we did it. My query is: The science used to be FAR inferior in 1969 than it's at present. (Think of what desktops have been at the moment.) Yet, NASA says we're nonetheless 10 years clear of sending one more manned spacecraft to the moon. Huh ?

Answer 9

yes...I have heard that. My math teacher grades my geometry homework in green, brown, or purple ink.

Red is known as causing strees or anger...it will overexaggerate the child's feelings about how badly they have done.

Plus, my teacher just likes using different colors to grade our homework.

(I personally like it when the teachers grade homework in multi-colors.)

Answer 10

Yes, and it's ridiculous! Their self-esteem will be lower when they grow up and can't spell or write worth sh**!