Memoirs of an Amnesiac

Lately I have been running out of red pens. My co-teacher noticed it, too. Just yesterday I was rummaging through my drawers in the faculty room just to find one. I was again caught in the middle of loads to check and my last one suddenly went on "diarrhea mode." I had many pending compositions and book reports to check and I was there, suddenly stopping. Time was ticking and I was helpless, without a trusty red pen around. Right then and there, as I resigned in helplessness, I reflected just how much my life as a teacher had been so dependent on red pens. I resolved to buy a box full. If only we could use other colors! Hmp!

Who in his right mind had made the trend that red pens should be used for correcting students' works? "Can't it be just any other color other than what the student used just to set the contrast?" I mused.

There is something about that color that psychologically raised the bar with it and its other color counterparts. For instance, I tried using the green ink (as green is my favorite color), the next thing I knew, a student came to me and told me that I hadn't checked his work! I was wondering how the red ink had so much made an impact to them that when I used that other color, that color just camouflaged itself among the red and blue lines etched on the writing paper.

Our principal once suggested that we change the color of our pens for correcting, noting that according to research the red ink had been found out to bring about negative effects more than positive impressions on students.

Since I learned that, I have suddenly raised my awareness on what comments I write on my students' work. Comments that would bring them up rather than bring them down. Sometimes, it gets to be tedious, especially when I wanted so much to write a five-page comment on a student's road to improvement in writing but can't for lack of time. I wanted to be straightforward yet tactful about my comments and suggestions. I know full well that I make a great impact even in the minute details as writing my comments.

Once, I stopped writing comments and this one child noticed it and actually wanted me to write again. I was a bit surprised by such request since I know very well that my comments on his paper were leaning towards the negative. More often than not, it contained such lines as : "Write properly." "Please be mindful of run-ons in your work." "Your composition lacked organization and style. Organize your thoughts."

Now, as I sit down to make my comments again, I hope I'll be more positive. I know I will never get to erase them, should I change my mind.