How do I prevent shame when their work is returned with corrections? 

Parenting Perspective 

When a child receives their marked schoolwork and sees it filled with a teacher’s corrections, their immediate reaction might be one of embarrassment or shame. Instead of viewing corrections as helpful guidance, they may interpret them as proof of failure. This mindset can damage their confidence and even discourage them from putting in the effort next time. Your role as a parent is to help them reframe these corrections, seeing them not as signs of weakness but as valuable opportunities to grow. 

Validate Their Feelings Gently 

Before offering any perspective, begin by acknowledging their reaction without minimising it: 

• ‘I know it can feel tough to see so many corrections on your work.’ 

• ‘It is understandable to feel disappointed when a teacher points out your mistakes.’ 

This simple act of validation reassures them that their feelings are normal and that it is safe to express them. 

Reframe Corrections as Help, Not Failure 

Explain to your child that corrections are a sign that their teacher is invested in their growth and wants to support them: 

• ‘Corrections are not punishments; they are helpful lessons from your teacher to make you stronger in this subject.’ 

• ‘Every great learner, athlete, and artist needed corrections to improve. Nobody starts out perfect.’ 

By shifting the meaning from criticism to guidance, you help your child see corrections as helpful stepping stones on their learning journey. 

Focus on Effort and Progress 

Encourage your child to notice what they did right, as well as what needs improvement, on their marked work: 

• ‘Look at this part here. You solved this problem correctly, and that shows real progress.’ 

• ‘You tried your best, and these corrections now show us exactly where to focus our effort next time.’ 

This helps to balance their perspective so they learn to see their progress and not just the flaws. 

Practical Strategies to Reduce Shame 

• Sit together and review calmly: Turn the experience into a positive learning moment rather than a scolding session. 

• Highlight small improvements: Compare their current work to past efforts to provide clear evidence of their growth over time. 

• Make corrections interactive: Ask your child to correct one mistake at a time with you, celebrating each small fix as a win. 

• Model acceptance: Share a brief story about a time you received feedback at work and how you learnt something valuable from it. 

By consistently treating corrections as helpful tools for learning, you help your child to replace feelings of shame with curiosity and resilience. 

Build Long-Term Confidence 

Create a home culture where mistakes are welcomed as part of learning. You can use positive and encouraging phrases like: 

• ‘Mistakes are simply proof that you are learning new things.’ 

• ‘Every correction you make is one step closer to mastering this topic.’ 

This approach makes your child less afraid of receiving marked work and more open to the process of improvement. 

Spiritual Insight 

In the Islamic tradition, mistakes are not seen as a source of lasting shame, especially when they are met with humility and a desire for correction. Instead, they are viewed as opportunities to grow, seek guidance, and move closer to excellence. Teaching your child to embrace corrections in their schoolwork aligns perfectly with the Islamic values of patience and humility. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Zumar (39), Verse 53: 

‘Say (O Prophet Muhammad ﷺ): “O my servants, those of you who have transgressed against yourselves (by committing sin); do not lose hope in the mercy of Allah (Almighty); indeed, Allah (Almighty) shall forgive the entirety of your sins; indeed, He is the Most Forgiving and the Most Merciful”.’ 

This beautiful verse teaches us that even when we make significant mistakes in our lives, Allah Almighty does not call us to despair but invites us to return to Him and improve. If the divine mercy of Allah welcomes our greater mistakes as opportunities for growth, then corrections on schoolwork should certainly be seen in the same light: as chances to improve, not as reasons to feel ashamed. 

It is recorded in Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 4251, that the holy Prophet Muhammad said: 

‘Every son of Adam sins, and the best of those who sin are those who repent.’ 

This hadith reminds us that making mistakes is a universal part of the human condition, but what truly matters is our willingness to learn from them. For a child, this principle translates into the powerful realisation that making errors in their work does not make them a failure. Instead, the best learners are those who accept their mistakes, correct them, and try again. 

When you link the process of correction to these spiritual principles, your child learns that errors are not something to hide from but something to be embraced with humility. They begin to see that mistakes are a natural part of the human journey, and that patience and correction bring about growth in their school life and in their faith. 

In time, your child will no longer dread seeing red marks on their work. Instead, they will learn to welcome them as signs that they are progressing on their journey, becoming stronger in character, firmer in resilience, and one step closer to excellence with every correction made.