--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I’m a teacher, I won’t be using red…" description: "\"When I’m a teacher, I won’t be using red pens to grade papers. Red pens will forever be associated with criticism and bad grades in my mind. I don’t wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/928/susane-colasanti-1873_bad-grades_when-i-m-a-teacher-i-won-t-be-using-red_1438092.png" --- # When I’m a teacher, I won’t be using red pens to grade… ![“When I’m a teacher, I won’t be using red pens to grade papers. Red pens will forever be associated with criticism and bad grades in my mind. I don’t want this person to get their short story back with harsh red pen marks all over it. Purple is much friendlier.” quote by Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/928/susane-colasanti-1873_bad-grades_when-i-m-a-teacher-i-won-t-be-using-red_1438092.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/928/susane-colasanti-1873_bad-grades_when-i-m-a-teacher-i-won-t-be-using-red_1438092.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/928/susane-colasanti-1873_bad-grades_when-i-m-a-teacher-i-won-t-be-using-red_1438092.png) > “When I’m a teacher, I won’t be using red pens to grade papers. Red pens will forever be associated with criticism and bad grades in my mind. I don’t want this person to get their short story back with harsh red pen marks all over it. Purple is much friendlier.” [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker prefers not to use red pens for grading because red is linked to criticism, opting for a friendlier color to reduce negative emotional impact on students. **In simple terms:** Red pens feel critical; choose softer colors to be kinder. Key Takeaway Use gentle feedback methods. Themes education feedback empathy psychology Mood consider reflective Type advice reflective educational When to use this quote - classroom grading - parent-teacher meetings - online feedback - peer review Key Concepts color psychology student motivation Questions to Reflect On - How does color affect student confidence? - What other subtle cues influence learning? A Different Perspective Some may argue color choice is minor compared to content quality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad grades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-grades/) [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Red](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/red/) [Short story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-story/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) ## Related quotes > [There's a reason that students don't grade their own papers. There's a reason defendants don't sentence themselves. And there's the reason the State Department…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trey-gowdy/there-s-a-reason-that-students-don-t-grade-their-own-papers-there-s-a/) [Trey Gowdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trey-gowdy/) > [In eighth grade, I went to home school, but it was a program meant for stay-at-home moms, and both my parents worked, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scotty-lago/in-eighth-grade-i-went-to-home-school-but-it-was-a-program-meant-for/) [Scotty Lago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scotty-lago/) > [“If I'd been burned alive because of bad grades, my parents would have killed me, especially my father, who meant well but was just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/if-i-d-been-burned-alive-because-of-bad-grades-my-parents-would-have/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“The problem is that the pressure to disprove a stereotype changes what you are about in a situation. It gives you an additional task.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-m-steele/the-problem-is-that-the-pressure-to-disprove-a-stereotype-changes/) Claude M. Steele > [I rebelled by not getting straight A's and not following the path that my elder sister did. She was valedictorian and is very exemplary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-garner/i-rebelled-by-not-getting-straight-a-s-and-not-following-the-path/) [Jennifer Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-garner/) > [I got really bad grades, so I'd hide my report card from my dad. My mom was in on it, too, because she knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daren-kagasoff/i-got-really-bad-grades-so-i-d-hide-my-report-card-from-my-dad-my-mom/) [Daren Kagasoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daren-kagasoff/) > [My parents really instilled this idea in me of being your own person, almost to the extent that I couldn't do wrong. I'd get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/my-parents-really-instilled-this-idea-in-me-of-being-your-own-person/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [“he did not drink or do drugs or smoke cigarettes or wear black eyeliner or stay out late or get bad grades or pierce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/he-did-not-drink-or-do-drugs-or-smoke-cigarettes-or-wear-black/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Sleep + social life = bad grades. Good grades + sleep = no social life. Good grades + social life = no sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sleep-social-life-bad-grades-good-grades-sleep-no-social-life-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Schools teach you to imitate. If you don't imitate what the teacher wants you get a bad grade. Here, in college, it was more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/schools-teach-you-to-imitate-if-you-don-t-imitate-what-the-teacher/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [You know, sometimes kids get bad grades in school because the class moves too slow for them. Einstein got D's in school. Well guess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/you-know-sometimes-kids-get-bad-grades-in-school-because-the-class/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [The factory model of education is a gargantuan bureaucracy. Some kids are good fits - I wasn't. The system gives you bad grades and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ferreira/the-factory-model-of-education-is-a-gargantuan-bureaucracy-some-kids/) [Jose Ferreira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ferreira/) > [“I want to beat them. Even though I'm not cool, or strong, or just, or beautiful, or cute, or pretty, I want to beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nisio-isin/i-want-to-beat-them-even-though-i-m-not-cool-or-strong-or-just-or/) Nisio Isin > [“It is amazing how much power we have, yet we are so oblivious to its existence. At home we were directed to focus on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marwa-rakha/it-is-amazing-how-much-power-we-have-yet-we-are-so-oblivious-to-its/) [Marwa Rakha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marwa-rakha/) > [“My parents must have seen something in me that I missed. My teachers insisted that I didn’t apply myself… I know that I didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/my-parents-must-have-seen-something-in-me-that-i-missed-my-teachers/) Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater One ## More by Susane Colasanti > [We’re never gonna understand women. They’re way too complex. You’ve got too many variables to consider. PMS, bad hair days, miscellaneous mood swings .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/we-re-never-gonna-understand-women-they-re-way-too-complex-you-ve-got/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [“Distraction is your friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/distraction-is-your-friend/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [I want revenge, but I don't want to screw up my karma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/i-want-revenge-but-i-don-t-want-to-screw-up-my-karma/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [She's not going to let go until she sees for herself that there's nothing left to hold on to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/she-s-not-going-to-let-go-until-she-sees-for-herself-that-there-s/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [Derek’s like, “So . . . what do you want to do first?” “I don’t know.” “Feel like ice cream?” “It’s, like, three degrees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/derek-s-like-so-what-do-you-want-to-do-first-i-don-t-know-feel-like/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [Thats all I need. To find a soul mate to share my life with. To have a love so epic it will never die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/thats-all-i-need-to-find-a-soul-mate-to-share-my-life-with-to-have-a/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [“That's the thing about being hooked on a girl. You see what else is going on around you. You notice other girls. But it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/that-s-the-thing-about-being-hooked-on-a-girl-you-see-what-else-is/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [“Do you like Rhiannon more than me?" ... They're two completely different concepts. When a girl asks you a question like that, there's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/do-you-like-rhiannon-more-than-me-they-re-two-completely-different/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [I can’t tell how much of our connection is because of the things we still have in common or the one thing that bonds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/i-can-t-tell-how-much-of-our-connection-is-because-of-the-things-we/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [Because my life isn't going to wait around while I figure out how to make it work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/because-my-life-isn-t-going-to-wait-around-while-i-figure-out-how-to/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [The past doesn't just disappear after it's happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/the-past-doesn-t-just-disappear-after-it-s-happened/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [“I've come full circle after a long journey, even though I’ve only been at sleep-away camp for two months. But this is such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/i-ve-come-full-circle-after-a-long-journey-even-though-i-ve-only-been/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [For one day there will be nothing left, yet we will have something. -me- I tried to wait for my life to begin. Something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/for-one-day-there-will-be-nothing-left-yet-we-will-have-something-me/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [Walks are never as good during the day. At night, when everyone's apartments are lit up and you can see inside, that's where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/walks-are-never-as-good-during-the-day-at-night-when-everyone-s/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) > [“The whole thing about bullying is: yes, the culture has to change. Yes, teens have the power to change it. It‚Äôs not going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susane-colasanti/the-whole-thing-about-bullying-is-yes-the-culture-has-to-change-yes/) [Susane Colasanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) [Explore all 200 Susane Colasanti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susane-colasanti/) ## More Bad grades quotes > [“My parents must have seen something in me that I missed. My teachers insisted that I didn’t apply myself… I know that I didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-seawater-one/my-parents-must-have-seen-something-in-me-that-i-missed-my-teachers/) Captain Hank Bracker, "Seawater One > [“It is amazing how much power we have, yet we are so oblivious to its existence. At home we were directed to focus on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marwa-rakha/it-is-amazing-how-much-power-we-have-yet-we-are-so-oblivious-to-its/) [Marwa Rakha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marwa-rakha/) > [“I want to beat them. Even though I'm not cool, or strong, or just, or beautiful, or cute, or pretty, I want to beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nisio-isin/i-want-to-beat-them-even-though-i-m-not-cool-or-strong-or-just-or/) Nisio Isin > [The factory model of education is a gargantuan bureaucracy. Some kids are good fits - I wasn't. The system gives you bad grades and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ferreira/the-factory-model-of-education-is-a-gargantuan-bureaucracy-some-kids/) [Jose Ferreira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ferreira/) > [You know, sometimes kids get bad grades in school because the class moves too slow for them. Einstein got D's in school. Well guess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/you-know-sometimes-kids-get-bad-grades-in-school-because-the-class/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [Schools teach you to imitate. If you don't imitate what the teacher wants you get a bad grade. Here, in college, it was more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-pirsig/schools-teach-you-to-imitate-if-you-don-t-imitate-what-the-teacher/) [Robert M. Pirsig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-pirsig/) > [Sleep + social life = bad grades. Good grades + sleep = no social life. Good grades + social life = no sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sleep-social-life-bad-grades-good-grades-sleep-no-social-life-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“he did not drink or do drugs or smoke cigarettes or wear black eyeliner or stay out late or get bad grades or pierce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/he-did-not-drink-or-do-drugs-or-smoke-cigarettes-or-wear-black/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [My parents really instilled this idea in me of being your own person, almost to the extent that I couldn't do wrong. I'd get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winona-ryder/my-parents-really-instilled-this-idea-in-me-of-being-your-own-person/) [Winona Ryder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winona-ryder/) > [I got really bad grades, so I'd hide my report card from my dad. My mom was in on it, too, because she knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daren-kagasoff/i-got-really-bad-grades-so-i-d-hide-my-report-card-from-my-dad-my-mom/) [Daren Kagasoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daren-kagasoff/) > [I rebelled by not getting straight A's and not following the path that my elder sister did. She was valedictorian and is very exemplary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-garner/i-rebelled-by-not-getting-straight-a-s-and-not-following-the-path/) [Jennifer Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-garner/) > [“The problem is that the pressure to disprove a stereotype changes what you are about in a situation. It gives you an additional task.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-m-steele/the-problem-is-that-the-pressure-to-disprove-a-stereotype-changes/) Claude M. Steele > [“If I'd been burned alive because of bad grades, my parents would have killed me, especially my father, who meant well but was just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/if-i-d-been-burned-alive-because-of-bad-grades-my-parents-would-have/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Teen: Has sex, does drugs, bad grades Parent: Just don't do it again! ok? Teen: Doesn't do chores. Parent: YOU CHILD ARE OUT OF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/teen-has-sex-does-drugs-bad-grades-parent-just-don-t-do-it-again-ok/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Dear Bad Kid In School, Please don't take your education for granted. It may not seem like a big deal to skip a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dear-bad-kid-in-school-please-don-t-take-your-education-for-granted/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 29 Bad grades quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-grades/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I’m a teacher, I won’t be using red pens to grade papers. Red pens will forever be associated with criticism and bad grades in my mind. I don’t want this person to get their short story back with harsh red pen marks all over it. 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