As a writer, a teacher, and a grader I am picky about my pens. In my book, different writing utensils are designed for different tasks and should not cross over into areas for which they were not intended.
For example, many of my colleagues love to grade with nylon-tip markers. These are pretty much the modern version of the felt-tip pens we had as kids, only better. Whereas the felt-tips became flattened and started to leave a wider and wider line as they were used, the nylon-tips maintain their shape and provide a cleaner look from beginning to end of the ink. These pens, which come in a variety of colors, are particularly popular in my department because the vivid purple and green shades are easy to spot against a black and white essay without looking as threatening as red ink. While I like these pens just fine for grading quizzes, homework, vocabulary, etc., I am not fond of them on essay assignments. The line is not fine enough for my taste. (Since I often write lengthy notes on student papers, the fatter tip takes up too much space.) In addition, I'm a purist and prefer to edit in traditional red. (How else can I make jokes about opening a vein?)
Thus, my pen of choice is the inc. R-2, a .7 mm rollerball available in black, blue, and red. While the color selection is limited, the quick flow and stark, fine line make this a fabulous grading pen. In addition to the way it writes, this is a great pen to hold. It has a fat, smooth barrel that feels cool against the crook of my hand with a rubberized grip near the end that keeps my fingers from cramping. The wide spring clip on the cap is perfect for hooking across a clipboard, notebook, or catalog, as well. Unfortunately, these are not available from district suppliers, so I have to keep my own stock, which is alright since I usually find them at Dollar Tree. (It's funny that I've used much more expensive pens, but prefer the two-for-a-dollar variety.) In addition to red for essays, the brilliant cobalt blue is my favorite journaling utensil.
Obviously, since all pens are not created equal, there are some pretty bad choices out there. Anything that has "stick" in the description should be avoided at all costs. These are not even worth putting in a cup on my desk for students to borrow (a.k.a. swipe) since they don't seem to write at least half the time. Once I took five boxes of blue stick pens to another school where I was administering a writing test and ended up throwing away three boxes worth before the evening was over. This is a prime example of "you get what you pay for." Another utensil I avoid at all costs is a pencil. While I understand their usefulness in math class, the idea of writing (or reading) an essay in smeary, number 2 lead that always turns my fingers to charcoal is a frightening proposition. Unfortunately, the kids frequently want to complete their work with this devil stick, and it takes me the entire first quarter to break them of the habit.
When I'm not grading or writing, I'm a good deal more open to different types of pens. For example, I have a box full of Sharpies in every color imaginable. (I was even tempted at Christmas to buy a new set because it included "cool retro 80's colors" like banana clip yellow and valley girl pink.) These pens are great for doodling, making posters, or completing craft projects. In addition to the bright permanent markers, I have an assortment of opaque pens designed to show up on dark paper (After all, you never know when you might have to make a black sign.) and a variety of glitter pens that add a metallic sheen to pastel shades of blue, pink, and green. These are great for creating greeting cards or coloring decorations for my classroom.
I know that having such strong opinions about writing utensils probably qualifies me for the loony bin, but I just can't help my ink-based compulsion. There is probably a 12-step program for me out there somewhere, but since the first step is to want help, I'm up a creek.
For example, many of my colleagues love to grade with nylon-tip markers. These are pretty much the modern version of the felt-tip pens we had as kids, only better. Whereas the felt-tips became flattened and started to leave a wider and wider line as they were used, the nylon-tips maintain their shape and provide a cleaner look from beginning to end of the ink. These pens, which come in a variety of colors, are particularly popular in my department because the vivid purple and green shades are easy to spot against a black and white essay without looking as threatening as red ink. While I like these pens just fine for grading quizzes, homework, vocabulary, etc., I am not fond of them on essay assignments. The line is not fine enough for my taste. (Since I often write lengthy notes on student papers, the fatter tip takes up too much space.) In addition, I'm a purist and prefer to edit in traditional red. (How else can I make jokes about opening a vein?)
Thus, my pen of choice is the inc. R-2, a .7 mm rollerball available in black, blue, and red. While the color selection is limited, the quick flow and stark, fine line make this a fabulous grading pen. In addition to the way it writes, this is a great pen to hold. It has a fat, smooth barrel that feels cool against the crook of my hand with a rubberized grip near the end that keeps my fingers from cramping. The wide spring clip on the cap is perfect for hooking across a clipboard, notebook, or catalog, as well. Unfortunately, these are not available from district suppliers, so I have to keep my own stock, which is alright since I usually find them at Dollar Tree. (It's funny that I've used much more expensive pens, but prefer the two-for-a-dollar variety.) In addition to red for essays, the brilliant cobalt blue is my favorite journaling utensil.
Obviously, since all pens are not created equal, there are some pretty bad choices out there. Anything that has "stick" in the description should be avoided at all costs. These are not even worth putting in a cup on my desk for students to borrow (a.k.a. swipe) since they don't seem to write at least half the time. Once I took five boxes of blue stick pens to another school where I was administering a writing test and ended up throwing away three boxes worth before the evening was over. This is a prime example of "you get what you pay for." Another utensil I avoid at all costs is a pencil. While I understand their usefulness in math class, the idea of writing (or reading) an essay in smeary, number 2 lead that always turns my fingers to charcoal is a frightening proposition. Unfortunately, the kids frequently want to complete their work with this devil stick, and it takes me the entire first quarter to break them of the habit.
When I'm not grading or writing, I'm a good deal more open to different types of pens. For example, I have a box full of Sharpies in every color imaginable. (I was even tempted at Christmas to buy a new set because it included "cool retro 80's colors" like banana clip yellow and valley girl pink.) These pens are great for doodling, making posters, or completing craft projects. In addition to the bright permanent markers, I have an assortment of opaque pens designed to show up on dark paper (After all, you never know when you might have to make a black sign.) and a variety of glitter pens that add a metallic sheen to pastel shades of blue, pink, and green. These are great for creating greeting cards or coloring decorations for my classroom.
I know that having such strong opinions about writing utensils probably qualifies me for the loony bin, but I just can't help my ink-based compulsion. There is probably a 12-step program for me out there somewhere, but since the first step is to want help, I'm up a creek.
No comments:
Post a Comment