I want to share the green pen method so that you can put it into practice with your children, and not only in the school environment, but as a form of parenting. Is something as simple as motivating: highlight successes instead of mistakes.
It consists simply of reversing something that has been done for years, a methodology that discourages children and they end up thinking that they do everything wrong. Positive reinforcement makes children feel more confident impacting not only on their academic results but also on their emotional development.
Better stand out in green than cross out in red
Just yesterday my middle-aged daughter showed me her corrected notebook and expressed how bad it felt to have a whole page with crosses, studs and a sad little face in red pen. What effect does this cause in children? Do red studs really help you check your mistakes and want to improve? Well, no. In this case, my daughter I didn't want to look at that page again because I felt ashamed.
What would happen if instead of highlighting the errors in red, the teacher had highlighted the successes in green? I think she would have felt more motivated and confident to review her successes and realize her mistakes.
Focus on the successes
The image you see above is by Tatiana Ivanko, a mother who put the green pen method with your daughter and tell her experience:
I will start from the beginning. My daughter almost never went to the school of early stimulation, since I was in charge of that work myself. When we were training his hand before entering school, our notebook looked like this:
Do you notice the difference? I did not highlight the errors with a red pen, but highlighted with the green the letters and balls that had worked out well. She liked that a lot and always, after finishing a line, she asked me: Mommy, which one has worked best for me? ” And he was even happier when he surrounded the prettiest letter with the words "very good."
What is the difference between both techniques?
Normally we usually concentrate on mistakes. What has been etched in the mind? Exactly, the letters that went wrong, that is, the wrong. Have you ever seen letters or correct answers surrounded with red ink? No, right? And, whether we like it or not, our subconscious tends to remember what has been highlighted.
The "green pen" method is to focus on what is well done. We experience completely different emotions and attitudes. Whether we want it or not, our subconscious will tend to repeat what we have managed to do well (and it was highlighted). It is a completely different internal motivation: we no longer try to avoid mistakes, but we strive to do what is right. It seems the same, but there is an important change in the structure of thought.
Not only with homework ...
It is a method that could well be applied in schools to motivate to improve instead of "correct", a word that by the way I like less and less.
But outside the school environment, the symbol of the green pen should be applied in all everyday situations with our children.
Instead of being all day highlighting what they do wrong, start highlighting what they do well. With each success, a sample of approval, a compliment. Start a week-long goal, you'll see what a change.
Praise reinforces the personality of the children, they are a way to show that we value them and help improve their self-esteem. Y from solid self-esteem, learning will be much more effective.
We tend to believe that channeling children towards duty and obligation is the way to educate them, but we forget the importance of reinforcing positive behaviors. Yes we change the highlight the errors to highlight the successes, we will realize that in the end children will tend to repeat those behaviors that give them personal satisfaction.
