Red Pen Response

As someone who has had one of those professors who tore up every square inch of their paper, I can be sympathetic to the fact that the red pen marks, although meant to be productive, can also feel counterproductive. I can relate to the feelings of defeat when looking at a paper covered in red pen, and the discouraging effect it can have on a student. However, I do know that some of those red pen comments were helpful in future writing assignments, they also helped me to produce some of my best pieces of writing.
I would have to say that the best and most productive english teacher should not spend all of his or her time nit picking her students assignments and tearing them apart with their red pen, but should try and find a way to use constructive criticism. There is nothing wrong with helping a student understand grammatical and structural errors while showing them your appreciation for their content. Positive feedback can make a huge differences in the way that students will respond and handle their corrections that need to be made.