Cheating students

[Oddly]

The cheating students vex the eager lass,
Charged with doling out their final grade.
This dishonest work will never pass,
When by its nature it is self-betrayed.
How to deal with such a class of youth,
Who so disdain their teacher's honest task?
Their careless disregard for simple truth,
Makes the question difficult to ask.
Is this the sorry future we have wrought?
Our children, language failing under test,
So easily will abdicate their thought,
And think the internet can say it best.

The minimum becomes the new default,
As standards suffer yet a fresh assault.​

Bravo!

@Chicory Blue , maybe have your class memorise this and recite it before each lesson.

 

[hbarcat]

I have a friend who has been teaching high school English and composition for 10 years and she's sick of it. She tells me that at least half of her students are hopelessly lazy and wilfully ignorant, with an attitude of total apathy who can't be persuaded to put forth any effort in their work, regardless of opportunity or incentive.

Her biggest frustration is that most of them are clearly capable of doing quality work, but simply can't be bothered to put in an ounce of effort.

She has just earned a new college degree in library science (on her own time and expense) and is actively seeking a career change.

 

[hbarcat]

As for those who cheated - send all 30 to report. You may get a reputation as a hardass (I do, because I'm merciless about my grad students' writing, down to the period and comma) but that may be to your advantage. When people think you're a hardass you can always surprise them by going easy on them when it's to your advantage.

Nearly every successful adult will say that the teachers they respected most were the ones who were the most demanding and who challenged them to put in the most effort.

 

[friskinator]

I have a friend who teaches English at a community college. His students get quite defensive when he critiques their writing. On one recent occasion, when he discussed some egregious grammar mistakes with a student concerning a paper he submitted, the student dismissively said "whatever - you know what I meant." And these are students that are there by choice.

 

[Groove Doctor]

I will admit to some sympathy for the students on one point...Shakespeare and his bloody sonnets? Why are they still being inflicted on kids?

Agreed.

 

[pcake]

here's the thing, and it's something you said in your original post, but from a different POV.

they don't think you're so stupid - the cheapers probably don't think of you either way. they either think that all teachers, teachers aids, etc, are that stupid or just don't care. or they think they're that smart (but don't put any actual thought even into their cheating) or that they're that entitled.

i suspect that in 99% of the cheaters, nothing - not the principal, their parents, suspension, humiliation will change them. they've been raised with certain beliefs, and a single assignment isn't going to change them.

some might learn not to cheat - or at least to cheat in much smarter ways - if they understand they'll usually get caught doing what they're doing. they may think no other students have ever had their "brilliant" ideas for cheating, so you might - just might - want to let them know you've personally seen these exact attempts many times for years, and that the older teachers have seen these exact same cheating methods thousands of times. there's nothing new or clever about what they're doing.

good luck to you, CB! remember to take short breaks for deep breathing - maybe you could watch baby fruit bats on youtube (there are three channels of baby rescue bats) or my favorite cheer-up video



btw, i cheated exactly once ever, and it was because after over two weeks being out with a severe flu, my science teacher hit us with an important test of material i hadn't even seen yet. i didn't get caught and aced the test. i even remember a lot about what i learned via cheating. and that was in 1970, btw.

It's that they think I'm so stupid that I'd let them pass an entire unit project when all of their friends' poems are literally identical except for the nouns. It's that the next generation of my country is genuinely dull enough to think they can get away with that.

I'm hurt and I'm scared and I'm so, so tired and I still have so many papers left to grade.

Just had to take a break from the pen for a moment to say that.
Thanks for hearing me.

--^@

 

[Clark Dark]

My son is in his first year of high school and eng lit is part of his curriculum. When time comes that he will be given similar circumstances that @Chicory Blue presented to her class, I'm introducing him to Smokey Robinson. Somewhere in this thread a poster mentioned Dylan and another poster brought up another wordsmith. @Chicory Blue had her reason for the material she wanted covered and some students thought they could gild the lily. The copy and pasters get no credit but their penance should initially be in the classroom in front of their peers, each and every one, to get your point across. Let their judges be the kids who did it right and leave the admins out unless they attempt to cheat on the makeup.

 

[Winslow]

Bravo!

Thank you!

@Chicory Blue , maybe have your class memorise this and recite it before each lesson.

I fear that would be a tall order for this bunch.

Link Removed

 

[yodedude2]

The cheating students vex the eager lass,
Charged with doling out their final grade.
This dishonest work will never pass,
When by its nature it is self-betrayed.
How to deal with such a class of youth,
Who so disdain their teacher's honest task?
Their careless disregard for simple truth,
Makes the question difficult to ask.
Is this the sorry future we have wrought?
Our children, language failing under test,
So easily will abdicate their thought,
And think the internet can say it best.

The minimum becomes the new default,
As standards suffer yet a fresh assault.​

this is terrifically written! but shouldn't a sonnet have that ironic twist in the last couplet that somewhat refutes the previous verses? this one just repeats the general theme. b plus

 

[Winslow]

this is terrifically written! but shouldn't a sonnet have that ironic twist in the last couplet that somewhat refutes the previous verses? this one just repeats the general theme. b plus

That's not a hard and fast rule. It also depends on what kind of sonnet is being written (there are different forms).
Sonnet - Wikipedia

In Shakespeare's sonnets, however, the volta usually comes in the couplet, and usually summarizes the theme of the poem or introduces a fresh new look at the theme.

C-

 

[yodedude2]

^^ well okay then. a plus plus!

 

[hbarcat]

Several posters have suggested that it's time to retire The Bard as a topic of learning and look to new inspiration from the "poetry" of Bob Dylan and The Beatles.

I think that is exactly the wrong thing to do. While I'm fully accepting of the idea that modern sources of profound poetic inspiration (like Beatles and Dylan) are legitimate study topics, I strongly object to abandoning the classics in favor of them. Shakespeare is such a fundamental part of English literature that choosing to ignore it because it's too hard to relate to in the 21st century is evidence of why it's so important to learn. I didn't know a single thing about Shakespeare until I was introduced at age 16 in high school and it truly enlightened me. It genuinely enhanced my appreciation for all literature and even caused me to seek out classic literature from other cultures (Arabian, Eastern, and others).

 

[bass12]

I had a literature teacher who would put examples of students' work on an overhead projector and critique it in front of the class. Even though this was done anonymously a lot of students got bent out of shape over it (they were no doubt fearful that the other kids would somehow be able to identify who wrote what). Might be an effective way of demonstrating the similarities of some of your students' assignments, OP.

When I was a teaching assistant during my Masters I was responsible for correcting assignments and exams. I came across passages (in some case complete answers) that had been cut and pasted from, among other sources, Wikipedia. Apparently these kids (and it was only a couple of them, thankfully) believed it was okay to do this (and that it didn't constitute plagiarism). It wouldn't have surprised me if they legitimately believed they weren't cheating. Anyway, ten years of subbing at an elementary level cured me of wanting to become a teacher. The kids I could handle (if allowed to discipline as a teacher is legally allowed to do here) but the administration? Forget it. Too much pandering and coddling where the kids were concerned and not enough support for the teachers. Pathetic and infuriating. Schools are businesses and the kids/parents are the clients. Keeping the clients happy seems to be more important to the administration than actually educating, unfortunately.

 

[Winslow]

Shakespeare is such a fundamental part of English literature that choosing to ignore it because it's too hard to relate to in the 21st century is evidence of why it's so important to learn.

Another reason to learn Shakespearean forms - including coming up with something original to fit them, as the OP's assignment required - is that it requires one to actively work with the language, and in so doing, learn more about it. If the words you want to use don't fit in the syllables or meter allowed, you have to find other words that do. A broader vocabulary and better understanding of ways to make words relate to each other are key skills required for improving one's writing overall.

 

[Oddly]

@hbarcat , I see your point, but from your posts, you strike me as a guy of well above average intelligence.
I agree Shakespeare, Chaucer et al are worthy subjects, but perhaps not at that level. In college, maybe, when you've already developed an appreciation for language, then certainly, but most average kids in high school (certainly in Ireland's system) struggle with basic English, never mind trying to decipher Billy's archaisms.

 

[bass12]

Several posters have suggested that it's time to retire The Bard as a topic of learning and look to new inspiration from the "poetry" of Bob Dylan and The Beatles.

I think that is exactly the wrong thing to do. While I'm fully accepting of the idea that modern sources of profound poetic inspiration (like Beatles and Dylan) are legitimate study topics, I strongly object to abandoning the classics in favor of them. Shakespeare is such a fundamental part of English literature that choosing to ignore it because it's too hard to relate to in the 21st century is evidence of why it's so important to learn. I didn't know a single thing about Shakespeare until I was introduced at age 16 in high school and it truly enlightened me. It genuinely enhanced my appreciation for all literature and even caused me to seek out classic literature from other cultures (Arabian, Eastern, and others).

Agree 100% And it's not just about Shakespeare's work - it's about his cultural and historical significance.

 

[bass12]

Another reason to learn Shakespearean forms - including coming up with something original to fit them, as the OP's assignment required - is that it requires one to actively work with the language, and in so doing, learn more about it. If the words you want to use don't fit in the syllables or meter allowed, you have to find other words that do. A broader vocabulary and better understanding of ways to make words relate to each other are key skills required for improving one's writing overall.

Another reason to study Shakespeare is cadence and flow. I think it's important to hear Shakespeare read well. Same with poetry. To, like, hear the English language can be, you know, a luscious experience tho.

 

[fretter]

When I had to write a HS assignment on Hamlet, I heavily borrowed from Metallica and Megadeth lyrics. Of course, that was in the days before the interwebz.

 

[pcake]

Another reason to study Shakespeare is cadence and flow. I think it's important to hear Shakespeare read well. Same with poetry. To, like, hear the English language can be, you know, a luscious experience tho.

the problem there is that usually when i hear shakespeare, it's not - imo - read well.

 

[yodedude2]

Schools are businesses and the kids/parents are the clients. Keeping the clients happy seems to be more important to the administration than actually educating, unfortunately.

this situation has arisen within a generation due to the rise of private/charter schools competing for funding (i.e. enrolled students) against public education schools; all part of the continuing attack on public education. i could go on, but it all becomes political rather quickly, so i won't do that here.