Hey everyone. I love the last week of the quarter at school. All those students who have been failing all quarter start asking questions like, "Is there anything I can do to raise my grade?" Part of me really wants to laugh in their faces and say, "Yes! You could have done some of your homework, say, four weeks ago." But I can't say that, well not just that (hehehe). I do try to be a little helpful. For instance, I assign a book report every quarter and give student the entire quarter to do it. It is designed to be a grade booster. If they are failing, it is worth enough to get them a D, but if they have an A and don't do it, they'll probably end up with a B/C. It kind of sucks, I know, but not a lot I can do about it now. It really helps the struggling students, and my A students usually do it anyway. So, I got to reading some of the book reports this week, and starting thinking how much my student's writing has improved. Then in one paper, I saw a word that there is no way my student knew how to use properly. I googled the sentence and low and behold, the entire book summary showed up. Plagiarized. Busted. I kept reading and found 8 plagiarized book reports. I can't begin to tell you how angry I felt. I wanted to call all their parents right them and nail them to the wall. However, I know that when I remove myself from a situation like this, I will gain better perspective. The next morning, I realized that yes, I am mad about it, but now I am just hurt. Where's the trust?
In the last year or two, I have come to realize how important honesty is to me. I rather hear the hurtful truth than be hurt by placating lies. Just tell me what I don't want to hear, please. I mean maybe we don't all get trapped in lies, but when we do, don't we tend to look back and think, "I should have just told the truth from the beginning." On Friday I lectured all my students to that effect. I just want them to realize that grades shouldn't be worth sacrificing integrity. All year I have built this relationship with my students. I trust them, and hopefully they trust me to know what I'm doing. But now how do I look at some of these kids who cheated and not remember the broken trust. How do they come back from that? Obviously, I'm too attached, and that I am sure is a rookie mistake. After a few years maybe I won't care so much about my students. In the meantime, though, I feel lied to.
So that is my week, and the moral to the story. Don't lie. Even in the worst situation, telling the truth will at least leave us with our integrity in the end, and I hope people value that as much as I do.
4 comments:
Arti: It is very hard to stop telling white lies. I think that our modeling growing up was less than perfect in this area in particular. I know that over the last 2 years my integrity search within myself has expirenced a dramatic change in velocity.
I want to hear more about busting the cheaters! What did they have to say??? I hope you don't change as you get more seasoned as a teacher...the ones that care are the ones you really remember!
I hear you! Same thing happened to me two weeks ago. It was my favorite student, too. I know it's frustrating, but I'm glad you busted them for it. School is a place of learning... not just learning facts, but learning life lessons as well. Good job, Arti! They're lucky to have a teacher who cares!
Look on the bright side, at least you caught it before you gave them the grade. It would have been worse later. And you taught the kids about honesty. A lesson that is sometimes best learned the hard way. They'll thank you for it later ;)
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