Ban red pens... for the children. (3 Viewers)

[boris]

So what you are saying serius, is that even though it's not broken, we should fix it?

Next thing you know, I won't be able to write using black pen because it's racist.

see my story about the nursery rhyme lol

 

[kara42]

So what you are saying serius, is that even though it's not broken, we should fix it?

Next thing you know, I won't be able to write using black pen because it's racist.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. WIN!!!
BEST QUOTE EVER!

 

[Sarah182]

Next thing you know, I won't be able to write using black pen because it's racist.

HAHAHAHA

"Kevin Rudd endorses use of yellow and black pens to promote cultural diversity"

 

[axlenatore]

if you ban red pen you might as well ban cross denoting incorrect answers as they also have a negatie connetation.


Hell why not ban grades and marks, im pretty sure if you think red pen is going to fuck kids up, so will grades then, as showing them they are shit is just wrong.....

 

[^CoSMic DoRiS^^]

Its not about hurting their little feelings...its mostly subconcious, they did studies on it, if you see red writting all over the work you are proud if telling you are shit you are it can hurt your self esteem. Its a buildup as well, every day you get back peices of work covered in red writing telling you how bad at life you are, it has an effect. No one peice of marked work will upset you but the overall buildup can have an effect in some [admittedly sensitive] people

I agree though that it is a tiny little insigificant problem and no kid is going to have a break down because their work was marked in red, its just one of thousands of little things that schools do wrong, but it is nowhere near the biggest problem and they should be diferting their resources to stop far more significant problems....BUT just because it is a small problem doesnt mean it shouldnt be fixed.

Teachers don't just break out the red to dish out criticism. I know you know that, but just so it's clear that it's probably more about the word choice than the colour pen it's written in. Obviously we need to aim for constructive criticism, I'm not going to write "bullshit effort, fail" on some kid's work (even if that's what I really think of it), BUT I'm not going to sugarcoat it too much either. Sometimes the truth hurts. That's life.

As for the colour of the pen...red is convenient, it's a pretty colour, it's bright and noticeable and I have serious doubts that the continued use of red pen throughout a student's life is going to have any impact at all, positive or negative. It's a total non-issue. If we should be looking to change anything about the way we mark we should probably just be a little more aware of word choice, idk, but pen colour is taking it too far, IMO.

edit: also agree with exphate, etc, that it's a slippery slope to insane amounts of political correctness. No red pen, no black pen (LOL), no X marks or grades, no telling students "no", no doing ANYTHING that makes them feel any less than 110% fizzingly sunshiny and happy.

It's school. You're there to learn. You will make mistakes and fuck up at times otherwise you wouldn't need to go to school in the first place. If the teacher can't even TELL you that you screwed up (in a nicer way of course lol), how are you going to improve?

 

[sunsettah]

Mmm. I do understand what they're saying. But even the rare subconcious effects... aren't worth worrying about I don't think.
It is a bit silly =/ It's definately a new low... They should have stopped at the 'blackboard' hilarity.

 

[sunsettah]

everyone that fails should get a de-brief with the school counselor ahahahahahhaa.

kids that are constantly winning will get out into the real world and freak out!

haha *writes in pink writing with flowers* "your work is horrible, have a nice day =] thankyou for this opportunity to better your learning"


so am I right.. that.. they're trying to bring back fail grades... but banning red pens?

isn't that just.. like... =/ wtf?

 

[^CoSMic DoRiS^^]

lol

let's just ban school altogether and send the kids to group-hug camp or something

 

[axlenatore]

Taking a step onto the slope and boom. In actuality, it's funny you mention the fail grade, because there were rumblings a little while back that the Board of Studies may infact reintroduce fail grades to the HSC, instead of this Band 1 crap (you got 12% for the year, but you'll get through!). This is part of the reason why there are kids falling through the cracks and passing through the years unable to read. We can't possibly keep the child back because of esteem issues, but putting them ina situation where they need the ability to read but can't do it isn't negative at all.

.

Thats why i mentioned it, i remember hearing that teachers were been encouraged not to use crosses and the grading on school reports of A-F or highly compentent- incompentent was too harsh on the little kids, they will have to learn to harden the fuck up eventually, just give them some concrete so they can harden the fuck up

 

[philosopher23]

This is ridiculous! Who spends time thinking of these things and then drawing it to the governments attention?? Yeah, causen there isn't anything better to do with your time. Our society is screwed up.

 

[babikakez]

wtf
the most ridiculous thing i've heard all day

 

[zstar]

That's the public education system for you.

Making the most useless policies ever.

Forget teaching kids basic reading and writing, Let's make some stupid ass policy because we're afraid the kids will be colour sensitive.

 

[genericusername]

Wow.
This is seriously ridiculous.

 

[Mongoz]

This Article Is Totally Screwd Up :s

 

[gibbo153]

This is ridiculous! Who spends time thinking of these things and then drawing it to the governments attention?? Yeah, causen there isn't anything better to do with your time. Our society is screwed up.

amen

 

[nisseltaria]

Legislate that magenta ought to be the official colour used for marking work; no-one can be upset with a comment/mark written in magenta.



Edit: The pen issue seems completely ridiculous but it is based on solid scientific evidence, and similar policies have worked in other places/situations. For example, a prison in the U.S.A. which had long been one of the most violent in the country almost eradicated violence by painting the walls pale pink and changing the colour of the inmates' uniforms. Also studies have shown that schools in which pupils wear red based uniforms have higher levels of violence than schools whose pupils dress otherwise (e.g. blue uniform, mufti), all other factors accounted for.