How Educators Are Hurting Kids...

In conversations with district and school leadership about student writing, and plagiarism, I often hear things like, 

• My teachers can find and address plagiarism on their own.
• We don't have a problem with students plagiarizing or sharing work. 
• When we catch kids plagiarizing...
• Our students only write during English class.

These points of view are actually hurting our kids, and by adopting this mentality we aren't equipping students to take ownership of their learning. 

Kids have grown smart with technology, they have information at their fingertips but don't always know how to use it. Plagiarism isn't always intentional, kids don't understand, and let's be honest, teachers don't always understand... I've been told this is not something that is taught in teacher prep programs.

Our students need boundaries and consistency. They need opportunities to use academic integrity as a learning tool. Rather than asking students to write under supervision or expecting teachers to "catch" plagiarism, we need to put the onus on our students to think critically about their work. ​

Here are some ways that teachers and principals can motivate students to take ownership:

1. Discuss how accessibility also requires accountability. Technology offers students a world of information, we need to put boundaries in place and talk to students about these boundaries to ensure they're using information responsibly.
2. Ask students to lead the conversation. With technology tools in place to give students feedback on their writing, ask studnets to lead discussions and ask questions about things they're unclear about. 
3. Remove the fear of failure. Grades have become deeply ingrained in the education system which creates a pass/fail mentality. Let's help our students realize that failure is a part of learning and celebrate a student's successes and failures.