Of course since the school year is winding down and new schedules are being made for next year, there are students who suddenly want to "do their best" and prove to me that they can get all A's on tests & quizzes and turn in all of their homework. Um... it's mid-May. It's a little late for that. There are no course recommendations that I am changing for next year. If I do change them, it's to drop some kids that have slipped immensely down to a lower level than I recommended in March.
Had another student issue today: Plagiarism.
I have to report this student to the vice principal, but I'm not going to do it until I go through the rest of classes' papers.
The kids had to do a health journal, as we were discussing health issues and vocabulary. For the first 5 of 6 journals, they were allowed to use their textbooks, notebooks, dictionaries - anything other than a human being - to check their grammar and spelling. One girl decided that by "use your textbook" I meant "copy word-for-word from the textbook." Um... wow. "Do you really think this is okay?" I asked her. "Well, you said we could use the book..." Um... no. Did I mention that this was a level 2 Honors class? Why on earth would it ever be okay to copy several passages from a textbook verbatim? Ugh. She started crying when I told her I have to report her for plagiarism and that it will probably be noted on her transcript. It may also eliminate her chances of being in the National Honor Society when she's a junior (she's only a freshman). I hate to have to do it to her, but once you let one person go, they think it's okay to do it again. I told her that I don't want her to think that I think that she's a terrible person, but she has to know that this is not right and that there are consequences for it. It's a good thing her class doesn't meet tomorrow, so she doesn't have to face me until Thursday. I'm prepared for the silent treatment. C'est la vie.
It's tough to be a teenager.
Oooh... and I seem to have made it past the "pink slip" monster! They were handed out on Friday, and I didn't get one! I know a couple people who did (some because they have no certification and haven't taken the certification test, others because of various reasons such as attendance and incompetence). I'm just glad I wasn't one of them. Now I can feel at least a little successful with this year. I guess that means I stay here at least another year. I still need a summer job though.
2 comments:
I remember once, in primary school, that I was asked by a friend to do some copies of a book for her. They were some graphics on Global Warming. This was her entire assessment. I did a copy for myself and I haded it out to the teacher with my 15 pages assessment. The teacher would say aloud in the class: "See, lady, he's copied the same graphic you have", she would smile like meaning "oh, poor C-boy" (she was an A-girl. Then, the teacher would say "But he's done all this" and would show my work. Then, she'd stop smiling like saying "Crap, this idiot is taking over me, and the teacher is making fun of it...".
Plagiarism is a daily school problem. The worst is that they don't understand that it is not worth.
Though, I wouldn't be very bad with that girl, it was just a mistake and an understandin error.
Yea, I think it really was a misunderstanding (as in, from talking to her today, I'm not sure she really understands what plagiarism is). However, I still stand that she'll get a 0 for the two journals that were pretty much written straight from the book (there were 6 in total), which means that out of a 200 point project, she'll only be able to get 160 points (80%) at most. I don't think she's really a cheater and don't think it should go on her permanent record, but her getting those zeros will definitely let her know that plagiarism is not the way to go, even accidentally. And I'm pretty sure that she will NEVER again do it (because she's that concerned with her permanent academic record).
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