Grading Takes a Softer Hue

The strivings to avoid making students feel bad has netted another victim--an increasing number of red pens. CNN reports that many schools are doing away with red pens for grading, as they seem too harsh, mean, and judgemental. Blues and purples are in, making the corrective suggestions of teachers far less confrontational, if not downright cuddly. Maybe instead of letter grades, we could assign different animals (each special in its own unique way) to graded work? Seems like getting C's and D's has a bad connotation at this point for people--I'm sure they'd rather have a kitten or turtle or something instead. Drawn in blue ink of course.