Have you ever considered what impact the pen colour you use to mark a student’s work has on their self esteem? Many teachers haven’t and, without thinking, always reach for a red pen. Perhaps this is because red pen stands out against the blue or black ink that a student uses when completing assignments. Or maybe it is simply because their own teachers graded their work in red ink and they’ve never given it much thought.
Colour psychology suggests that different colours can have a significant impact on our mood, feelings, and behaviour. In fact, colour is a powerful communication device. Have you ever felt a sense of calm in a blue room? Or increased anxiety in a yellow room? I recently spent a year teaching in a classroom with a red wall and it was quite a challenge for my students and me! Thankfully, they repainted the wall the following year 😊
The colour red can provoke the most potent emotions in us, maybe because it is often linked to revenge and aggression, sometimes denoting violence and danger because blood is red. Studies have found that too much red can provoke aggression and irritation. It can also cause an increased heart and respiration rate. It is known to increase stress levels!
For students that already find writing or mathematics difficult, covering their work with feedback in red ink, no matter how positive and well intentioned your feedback is, can have a significant impact on a student’s self esteem. The colour red has negative connotations and is often associated with strong emotions such as anger. It is also the universal colour used to signify danger. Consider how you feel about stop signs, red flags and fire.
When I was in Year 8 I had two English teachers. Mrs. E. taught us three days in the week and Mrs. H. took us for the other two days. The significant thing about this time in my life is that my relationship and attitude towards these two teachers were largely determined by the colour pen they used to mark my writing; Mrs. E. provided her feedback in neat, green writing whilst Mrs. H. used red ink. I looked forward to, and valued, the feedback given to me in green pen. However, I really disliked the feedback from Mrs. H. and probably didn’t even read it! I appreciated Mrs. E. and I really disliked Mrs. H. Interestingly, both teachers actually provided the same evaluations of my written work, and were very similar in their teaching style, but the pen colour directly impacted my emotional response to receiving their feedback and really impacted my relationship with them. I recall striving to improve for Mrs. E. and not really paying much attention to the thoughts of Mrs. H.
Now, I was an average English student. If I worked hard and was given enough time to gather my thoughts, draft and rewrite, I could write a reasonable essay. Imagine how the usage of red ink affects the self esteem of a student with learning difficulties.
They same applies in Mathematics classes, especially when the answers are usually either right or wrong! Do Maths teachers really need to mark incorrect answers with a red cross, or, would it be more considerate to just use a green pen to tick the correct answers?
As a result of my reflections, when I taught English, my pencil case contained no red pens. I chose to provide my students with feedback using green ink. Further, when marking spelling tests, I placed a green tick next to each word which was spelled correctly and NEVER wrote crosses. If I wanted a student to double check something or to have another go at it, I would indicate this using a green star. I’m quite sure my students really appreciated this strategy.
Would you consider throwing your red pens in the bin and filling your pencil case with green pens?
If you can relate to this, or have your own stories, I’d really love to hear from you 😊
Blessings,
Fiona xx
