AdmiGram.com will show you the impact that highlighting mistakes has on a child’s perception of the world, using the example of a remarkable teacher from the past.
When I was young, we lived in Marseille. I went to a school where we were terribly annoyed by Madame Benish and her calligraphy lessons. It was a real nightmare, and nobody ever got good grades in her class. Everyone hated the subject.
Then a new teacher came, and everything changed. The school administration couldn’t understand how the most hated subject among the children suddenly became their favorite, and how their performance improved so quickly.
It turned out to be quite simple. Instead of using red ink, the teacher used green. Moreover, she didn’t mark poor handwriting; instead, she used her green pen to highlight only the words that were written the best.
And we tried incredibly hard just to see those coveted green circles in our notebooks and to be praised for our efforts. Do you see where I’m going with this? The difference in a child’s perception of the world is all about the approach.
In the first case, the child focuses on mistakes. They concentrate on deficiencies and on what they are told they are doing poorly. All of this carries over into adult life and becomes the most common cause of dissatisfaction.
In the second case, the child concentrates on what is done correctly. This brings out entirely different emotions and a different perception; it’s simply a different world. It’s not about the desire to avoid mistakes, but the desire to do well! Do you see the difference?
By using the “green ink” method in child-rearing, you ensure that even without pointing out a child’s mistakes, those mistakes will gradually disappear on their own because the child genuinely wants to do everything excellently of their own free will.
