[dcolton]

This bothers me. I don't get it.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,131584,00.html

An F is an F, but failure seems so much friendlier when it comes in purple.

A growing number of the nation’s educators are stocking up on purple pens (search) for grading papers and passing on the traditional red, which they say can be intimidating and damaging to a student’s self-confidence.

"Teaching should always be a positive practice. Red seems to stand out in such a negative way," said Dorothy Porteus, school support specialist with the New York Charter Schools Association (search). “Little guys internalize the red and it doesn’t make them feel good.”

Porteus, who taught elementary school for 20 years, said a teacher should coach kids to do their best, not scare them into thinking they’ll never be good enough. She equates using red ink with drawing a frowning face on a student’s work.

"They put all this effort into something and by marking it up with red, in some ways it is like tearing their hard work to shreds,” she said. “They look at the red and think the teacher is upset with them, and this greatly influences their attempt to do their next paper.”

[Silky Voice of The Gorn]

It's the same mentality that has little kids winning soccer trophies just for showing up. We're creating a generation of pussies. Great.

[dcolton]

Originally posted by Silky Voice of The Gorn:
It's the same mentality that has little kids winning soccer trophies just for showing up. We're creating a generation of pussies. Great.

Exactly...

I used to be VP of a little league and this was my biggest fight. My stance...only 1st and 2nd place trophies should be awarded. Everyone else, certificates of participation. I lost the fight every year...but I did manage to convinve the board to go with cheap medals for participation and cool trophies for the winners!

I BLAME IT ALL ON SOCCER!

[dcolton]

Does anyone support this?? Why?

[KaBlooey]

I predict that purple will be the next red.

[Silky Voice of The Gorn]

Originally posted by dcolton:
Exactly...

I used to be VP of a little league and this was my biggest fight. My stance...only 1st and 2nd place trophies should be awarded. Everyone else, certificates of participation. I lost the fight every year...but I did manage to convinve the board to go with cheap medals for participation and cool trophies for the winners!

I BLAME IT ALL ON SOCCER!

"Certificate of participation"? I don't get it. I mean, you're a kid, you go out to play soccer. Or baseball. Or whatever. Isn't just showing up and having fun enough? Why do parent feel kids need to be given such "self-esteem" enhancements? Maybe because my son is only 12 weeks old I don't get all this, can you please enlighten me as to what to expect in 5 years?

[BRussell]

Originally posted by dcolton:
Does anyone support this?? Why?

I see no great crisis in teachers using purple or any other color for grading. I'd have a problem if they were actually passing them when they didn't deserve it, but that's not what they're doing.

This is typical "get the proletariat mad at the culture" crap. "A growing number of the nation's educators?" Uh huh.

[dcolton]

Originally posted by Silky Voice of The Gorn:
"Certificate of participation"? I don't get it. I mean, you're a kid, you go out to play soccer. Or baseball. Or whatever. Isn't just showing up and having fun enough? Why do parent feel kids need to be given such "self-esteem" enhancements? Maybe because my son is only 12 weeks old I don't get all this, can you please enlighten me as to what to expect in 5 years?

I think it is more about the parent's ego's than anyone else. You would be amazed as to what parents will complain about.

Be prepared for a serious lack of competition and a molestation of the rules so every kid can be included. Be prepared for snotty kids and even snottier parents. Be prepared for games where no score is kept. Be prepared for utter BS.

The only bright spot is that once your child is old enough, he can participate in AAU athletics if he is good enough. AAU, IMO, is the last organization that stands for maintaining the ideal of competiveness while following the rules of the game the way it was meant to be played