I used to teach high school students, which I did find challenging for a number of reasons. I had to follow a more rigid curriculum schedule then. Sometimes this is good, especially if the students are having a hard time learning. Structure does aid with kids like that. However, I felt that it hampered me more than anything. I wanted to be able to really stretch the students’ minds, which is why I am now a university professor. I teach English, and one of the first things I tell my students about is the plagiumkereso that I sometimes use.

I want them to know right up front that I value them, which is why I want work that is only done by them. I do have them write a lot of essays, because it teaches them so much more than just English or grammar. I find that they really discover a lot more about themselves this way too. With my high school students, I had to basically accept most of what was turned in, even if it was likely copied from another source. This does nothing to help a kid at all! It teaches them that plagiarizing is okay as long as you change a few words to make it your own.

I am being hard on them, but that is just because I want my students to think for themselves. On the first day of class every semester, I tell my students about the site that I use to make sure that their work is not plagiarized. I feel giving them a heads up will encourage them to take my class seriously. I have used the site at least a few times each semester, and word is now out that I am a stickler only for using other people’s work. Otherwise, the sky is the limit in my class!