mark up my heart with red ink..
*This was written by a Clark Atlanta University student. Check out her blog www.luckyguess.lovelymess.tumblr.com *
the red pen. a tool used by teachers and professors all over the world, for many years. by now, in “the college years,” we have all become very familiar with the meaning of a red mark; corrections, scratch outs, errors, suggestions and ultimately, change. most of us have become a bit immune to the whole thing, realizing that a red pen mark is pretty inevitable in most classes. but to be quite honest with you, the older i get, the further i get along with my studies, and the deeper i get into my major, i’ve developed some pretty strong feelings towards it.
my heart does NOT bleed red ink! ..but apparently, some of our professors thinks it should. imagine taking every thought, every feeling, every single emotion you have, and putting it down on paper, just to see it all striked out, or flooded with question marks? ..now, i can’t speak for everybody, [especially for those majors who have very strict guidelines.] ..but i am an artist. I am not an english major, nor do i have any english based classes. in every single one of my classes, we are encouraged to be ourselves, to speak “freely,” and to develop a sense of discernment. so of course, that has been the tone with every paper i have written. now, don’t get me wrong, i’m not against a few punctuation and grammar corrections, [even though I could go without.] but crossing out MY words, replacing them with new ones, and suggesting that some of my thoughts simply aren’t needed, offends me. i’m tired of being penalized because my “poetic way with words” aren’t clear to you. and although i am the student, and technically the professor should be my “audience,” my stubborn way of thinking inhibits me from changing my words, just to make it a little more clearer for the reader.
however, rules are rules [so they say.] so i will try my best not to take it personally. but, i will not change the way i write. i choose every word ..for me. i write with passion, with soul, with everything i have in me, and as long as my commas are placed correctly, i could care less about anybody who can or cannot get a clear understanding of my mental. i write for me. …no one else.
and to all the professors, i appreciate the help, i truly do, but would it kill you to be a little bit more open minded? ..at least for those select number of students who express themselves a little differently. I just ask that the next time you whip out your handy dandy red pen, “keep in mind that i’m an artist, and i’m sensitive about my shit….” [-e.badu]
I totally agree with this author. Teachers want us to write freely about things, but yet they're quick to correct us on what needs to be revised. The line that caught my eye the most was when she said that "i write with passion, with soul, with everything i have in me, and as long as my commas are placed correctly, i could care less about anybody who can or cannot get a clear understanding of my mental. i write for me. …no one else." That's how I feel sometimes, as long as I understand what I am writing then I could care less about what others think. 9 times out of 10, my writing skills are what teachers want. I don't always write how I speak, so with that being said, I reread what I'm writing to make sure of that. Some teachers mark my paper with red ink to sometimes say that somethings aren't needed, add more details, or to just edit my writing and add some of their thoughts. I appreciate that, but sometimes I want to write whatever it is that I want to say!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way! I hate seeing big red lines all over my paper especially over the parts I spent almost an hour on.I think because of the red pen, I don't pour my heart out on paper because I know as soon as I get my paper back and I have a red question mark or B on my paper, I will bust out in tears, rip up my paper, and walk out. I hate when I look over my paper and see what I did wrong and see "your correct, but you could have explained your answer in a better way." Really? Now i can't hang my paper on the refrigerator because I was correct but just not in the "correct" way.I HATE red pens!
ReplyDeleteNice post!
ReplyDeleteThat's soo true.
Everyone expresses everything differently in their own way.
and with that is: talent.
1. To me, my writing skills are pretty decent. They're not too dull nor too sentimental & I think that every poem I write is acceptable to my teacher.
ReplyDelete2. I agree with this author because everyone expresses everything differently in their own ways. Everyone's answer can't be the same, especially with the professor & the student, but the student himself/herself can make the answer in their own words. I also agree with this line: "Rules are rules [so they say.] so i will try my best not to take it personally. but, i will not change the way i write. i choose every word ..for me."
3. My confidence hasn't been lowered down because I never got any of those comments before about my writing. The positive comments make me a better writer because the non-fictional stories can be art to their eyes & those people encourage me to make more so they can feel how much emotion I put into everything I write from my head and understand how much I've been through.
No my confidence has not been lowered it has actually inproved my confidence as a writer,because the teacher shows me the mistakes i made so i can improve my writng skills!.
ReplyDelete2. I agree the author. everyone is familiar with the meaning of a red pen, it means many different marks such as corrections, scratch outs, errors,or suggestions.
ReplyDelete3. Yes my confidence as a writer been lowered by comments written in red ink by your teachers because I have corrections to do in order to makes my story good so other people can see it and like it.
2. I Disagree With Erykah Badu When She Said That She Doesn't Like Her Words Crossed Out, Because Any Person Can Put Simple Words Like Bad Or Mad, But It Could Be Improved By Putting Higher Level Words Like Aggravated And Annoyed. The Teacher Probably Didn't Want Her To Make A Habit Of Using Words That Are Too Simple.
ReplyDelete1.I Feel My Writing Skills Are Great, Because Ive Had Teachers Call My Mom And Offer Free Trips To Poetry Slams, And Also Because I Like To Use Words That I Wouldn't Normally Say To People, In My Poem. Its Not About How Perfect Your Poem Is, Its Just About How You Express Yourself In A Poem, Using A Different Variety Of Words. So Yes, I Think My Writing Is Up-To The Teachers Expectations/Standards
1. Personally, I have a high esteem on my writing skills. Like the autor, I don't get offended with grammar corrections, or with spelling, but if a teacher seems to constantly say that my work doesn't make sense or isn't good enough, I get kinda edgy. But, for the most part, the teachers like my writing skills.
ReplyDelete2. I agree with the author when he/she said that they got upset when the professor scratched out their thoughts/ideas with red ink,but then again not every "red ink mark" is a bad thing. Maybe they just want you to explain your thoughts in a way that can be better understood.
1.)To me my writing is more like sentimental and the things that are happening around me today and yes i do believe that my poety/wrighting is acceptable towards my teacher's.
ReplyDelete3.)No my confidence as a writer has not lowerd it actualy has gone up every single time i write and explain the way i feel. And yes some of my teacher's comments have helped me on becoming a better writer because with those comments you learn how to correct it and how you can become a better writer and even though we still make mistakes we learn by them.
2.i agree with this author because you should be able to write anything you wantwithout anyone getting on your case with a red pen. 3.some times because the teachers sometimmes would write negative stuff about my work
ReplyDeletethis is keyshawn 1.i feel that i write well and if teachers feel the need to correct me then do so.
ReplyDelete3. no because that lets me know i need to get better.
How i feel about my writing skills i think they are pretty good but i can do better.Some times i get lazy and that is not the right thing to do when writing. I love when teachers correct me because i learn from my mistakes. Yes i feel like my writing skills are on par for what my teacher wants.
ReplyDeleteMy confidence does not get lowered when comments are written in red ink i just know next time what i will do to not get those red marks.The comments helped me become a better writer because now i know what i did wrong and i can fix it.
2) I agree 100% with the writer. I dont like for my teachers to mark all over my paper with there red pens. If I put alot of effort in my work and then you just go ahead and mark it up, it makes me not want to try agin. I would rather for teachers to just write on separte sheet of papper what I need to correct and not all over my paper.
ReplyDelete3) No, my confidence has not been lowered by teachers marking up my paper. Actually it BOOSTS my confidence because it lets me no that I did try my best, but it just wasnt good enough for them.
The comments help me and they dont. They help me because I no i made some mistakes, but then they dont help because when I see them they make me upset and not want to do so well the next time.
2. I agree with this artist because when I write, I write what Im thinking or what I feel is the answer. The line that stuck out to me the most was when she said "i’m not against a few punctuation and grammar corrections, [even though I could go without.] but crossing out MY words, replacing them with new ones, and suggesting that some of my thoughts simply aren’t needed, offends me". This is so true. I can see if the teacher is correcting my spelling but to cross out a word is honestly wrong to me.
ReplyDelete3. No, my confidence has not been lowered as a writer. I know my weaknesses as a writer and my strong points. Some of the comments left have made me a better writer but i just dont like when almost every other word is crossed out.
1.i feel my writing skills are okay,but i think my teachers think i can do better
ReplyDeletei forgot to answer both this is the second question
ReplyDelete3.my confidence hasnt been lowered i just take as there trying to help me it helped me become a better writer because now i know what i did wrong
I agree and disagree. Teachers sometimes overuse or take advantage of their authority. It's okay to correct students , not to mark up their paper with red pen just for the fun of it. I take my time and do my best on MOST of my work. When I get graded papeers back, its totally frustrating to see a teachers red ink all over top of what I wrote.
ReplyDelete1. I don't really mind when teachers mark up my paper but I do feel they should be more opened minded on what they scratch and write over.
ReplyDelete2. I agree with this, I feel that teachers should be more sensative and opened minded about what they scratch out on my papers. But then again their just doin their job to make us better writers. Like E-Badu said “keep in mind that i’m an artist, and i’m sensitive about my shit….”
3. No my confidence as a writer doesn't get lowerd I just know my teachers are trying to help us and show us what we are doing wrong.
2. I agree with the author because when you write it's art and you don't want anybody to change or scratch out your art. When you put your heart an soul into what you write you get sad or angry when somebody changes it or tries to change it. I agree with the line " we are encouraged to be ourselves, to speak “freely,” and to develop a sense of discernment." because we are encouraged to speak freely and yet teachers mark up our papers and say that's not right which, I don't get.
ReplyDelete3. Yes my confidence has been lowered by comments that teachers have put. The comments show me that I'm not putting all of my effort into my writing. But the comments inspire me to do better from now on with writing. Whatever comments I get from teachers and it's negative I turn into positive then I always do better after that. After that I had gotten way better feedback from my teachers and they were impressed with the amazing changes.
I think my writing skills can be better ,because i write to fast and never go back to check over my work.I dont think the teacher will understand my writing because half of the time I dont even understand my own.
ReplyDeleteI agree ,because who likes those red marks on there paper they worked really hard on .To me it says they dont understand what and how i am expressioning myself.I just ask that the next time you whip out your handy dandy red pen, “keep in mind that i’m an artist, and i’m sensitive about my shit. i feel like this says let me choose the way i write and just catch up on what I am saying.
It is in the middle ,because when i write I have to think before i write and i hate doing that ,because i am not really saying what I want to say and the paper comes out the way they want it not me.
But they helped in a way .,bracuse words i didnt no they lways corrected them were if there is a next time i would no how to spell them.
Johnice Johnson
2. I agree with the author because its good for teachers to write with red pens so the students can see what they did wrong on their work and make their correction.
ReplyDelete3.No my confidence havent went down. like I honestly think the teachers should write on my paper with red ink so I can know what I did wrong.
1)I completely agree with the author,but i think that a teacher/proffessor has the write to correct a paper to a certain exstent if they know that,that is the writer's style of writing then they should not change it but if the writer is not aware of his/or her mistakes then the teacher should acknoledge them about it not just scratch all over their work.
ReplyDelete2)As far as my writing skills go i believe when im rushing i tend to write a little badder than i would if was not rushing.but when im not rushing and i am writing in pencil my writng could not get any better.
2)In my previous years in school i have had teachers write in red pen and acknoledge me of my mistakes and it has not discouraged me as a writer it just made me a better writer because it let me know were i was making mistakes so i didnt make them again.
This is really true. I Dont like when teachers write all over my paper with red ink, I think it makes the paper look sloppy.(1)I feel that my writing skills could be better. I say this because most of the time I write the first thing that come to my mind, instead of thinknn of something that could be better. I dont think my writing is up to par with what my teacher wants because I know that I'm not really trying, and I know my teacher knows that too ! (2) I agree with everything she wrote. I really like when she said " I just ask the next time when you whip out your handy dandy pen, keep in mind that i'm an artist and i'm sensitive about my shit !
ReplyDelete1. My writing skills are not the best, but they're not the worst either. I feel that they are on par with what teachers think but sometimes when i write i don't apply myself like i should.
ReplyDelete3.No, my confidence as a writer has not been lowered by little things such as that. The comments are what helped me to be a better writer because they make me feel that i need to do better. Now most teachers don't use red ink because I think they have figured out it lowers kids' self- esteem. So they only use odd colors such as green or purple to grade in. But i feel as i get older I can look back at some of those red marks and say that they were the reason i am where i'm at now.
1. I Think My Writing SkillS Are Ok But Im Avrage I Dont Feel Like They Are ON Par With What Teachers Think But When I Be Writing My Words Dont Come Out As Planed.
ReplyDelete3.Yes my confidence has been lowered by comments that teachers have put. The comments show me that I'm not putting all of my effort into my writing. But the comments inspire me to do better from now on with writing. Whatever comments I get from teachers and it's negative I turn into positive then I always do better after that. After that I had gotten way better feedback from my teachers and they were impressed with the amazing changes
1.I feel my writing skills could be better but as long as I understand it that's good for me. I think my writing is on par with my teacher's.
ReplyDelete2.I agree with the writer when they said I write for me because that's the same way I feel when I write.
1. I feel my writing skills are good but could be so much better. I think my writing is on par with my teacher's.
ReplyDelete2. I agree with the author in some ways such as how teachers or prefessors correct from misunderstanding. I also agree with her and her feelings about how she writes. I dont think no one can change the way she writes because its a different type of writing. I agree with the teacher/professors about correct a few errors here and there because thats their job.
1. I feel that my writing is almost up to par with what my teachers want. I think my writing as inproved more since I left 7th grade cause thats the grade were my teacher used that pen like no other. But I think that some teachers take it to far when it comes to marking papers with red pens, like sometimes my papers be bleeding
ReplyDelete2. I agree with this author because when you write its like your own personally way of expressing yourself so why not write like how you feel in your head. I like when the author made this statment."I choose every word ..for me. I write with passion, with soul, with everything i have in me, and as long as my commas are placed correctly, i could care less about anybody who can or cannot get a clear understanding of my mental. i write for me. …no one else".Simply because as long as a student has there commas and periods in the right place why should it matter how they write certain things its almost like there critising Our writing by crossing OUR words
1.I think that my writing is awesome. and i really dont care what anybody else thinks about it. I do think that it is up to teachers standards. In some situations i think that my writing is way PAST their standards. i LOVE writing and i think that now i might end up becoming a writer. i love letting people read my poems and listening to what they think about it.
ReplyDelete2.i absolutely agree with this writer. i understand what she means. all throughout my life ive been told what i can and cant write. ive been told with the red pen , that my thoughts were wrong, and that my ideas and morals and everything was wrong. i thought that I was supposed to be writing. and that the essay, poem, letter was supposed to me, and what I think. i agree when she says - " i write for me, and only me". idont want anyone telling me what to write. but i also have to agree with that fact that she is going to try not to take it personally. ill get over it.
-lauren
My confidence has never been lowered after teachers grade my paper. I think my writing skills are pretty good. Most of the time I do not really pay attention to people's comments. I am learning how to take constructive criticism.
ReplyDeletei agree teachers are always quick to mark our papers with red pens and say we are writing like we are sending a text message or we are just writing and are not using any punctions... teachers really get on my nerves when they do that because i be giving my all into0 writing this paper or essay and all they do is just mark it up with a red pen or a marking and tell me i need to fix it
ReplyDeletei think my writing skills can use more work.
ReplyDeletei agree with the author with it says that it writing is for teschers to be a bitt more opean minded.
my confidens as a writer hasnt been lower cause somthings their good for you
1.I feel that my writing skills are okay but it can denfintly improve in some areas.
ReplyDelete2.I agree with the author because when I write, I like to express the way I feel and if you are taking words out thats like takin the energy and passion out of it.
1. First i must say to Erykah Badu this is an wonderful argurmentation claim you have writen and i love it. It is supported with a bunch of reasoning why you believe what you saing is true.
ReplyDelete2. I agree with you very Erykah Badu because when I write, I write with passion and speak for what my heart is feeling, i put my everything in the paper and what the topic is about always i add in my own experience and i put my own to sense in everything i write.What Im thinking or what I feel is the answer. The line that stuck out to me the most was when she said "i’m not against a few punctuation and grammar corrections, [even though I could go without.] but crossing out MY words, replacing them with new ones, and suggesting that some of my thoughts simply aren’t needed, offends me". This is so true. I can see if the teacher is correcting my spelling/grammar or even a few punctuation and grammar corrections but to cross out a word is honestly wrong to me.
3. No, my confidence has not been lowered as a writer. I know my weaknesses as a great writer and my strong points as a great should know. Some of the comments/helpful tips left have made me a better writer but i just dont like when almost every other word or sentence is crossed out and mark up with that UGLY RED INK!
I just ask that the next time you whip out your handy dandy red pen, “keep in mind that i’m an artist, and i’m sensitive about my shit….”
and just catch up on what I am saying or you will never understand me as the writter that i am.
4. I Feel My Writing Skills Are on point(excellent), Because Ive Had many Teachers Call about my very acceptable work, And Also Because I Like To borden my vocubulary and use words That I Wouldn't Normally Say around my peers, In My Essay's,poems,short storys and autobiography. Its Not About How Perfect Your work Is, Its Just About How You Express Yourself In a simple short essay, Using A Different Variety Of Words by using simlpy a dictionary or and a thesaurus to borderen your vocubarlary to make your working more interseting. So Yes, I Think My Writing Is Up-To The Teachers Expectations/Standards i believe so!
1. i believe my writing skills are good. Sure i do need some corrections here and there, but its not that bad. at-least i think its not. I'm not exactly sure with what some of my teachers are looking for in my writing. As long as the understand is what counts for me.
ReplyDelete2. I do agree with what this author is saying, but i also respectfully disagree with parts of it. Most teachers do have a tendency of trying to mark every little detail that you write when its your thoughts not theirs. But at the same time i can understand why. Teachers are just trying to expand you vocabulary really. If they were to mark a word missed spelled or change a word then that must say you used the word in the wrong way. or used the wrong word for that particular sentence. Its like you have to look at it both ways in this situation.
3. comments teachers mark in red ink don't exactly lower my confidence. instead it makes me want to try harder, and apply my self more. That way the next time there is an assignment similar to that one i wont get as many red marks as before. I'll no what to say and how to say it clearly.
1)I feel like that my writing skills are okay i dont put into it like i should.
ReplyDelete2)I agree with the author because i like to express myself the way i want and also feel how i am feeling.