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In response to DawnMarie's message, I would say "Don't blame the kids!" If teachers are setting assignments for which the responses can be completed by a copy-and-paste, then, in my opinion, the assignment is meaningless, time-wasting and they deserve what they get. To my mind, they are even lazier than the students for not taking the time to define the purpose of the assignment in terms of the students' learning and creating something that demands some personal input and higher order thinking. They need to read David Loertscher's Ban the Bird Projects http://www.davidvl.org/Achieve/achieve.html and Jamie McKenzie's Questioning Toolkit http://www.questioning.org/Q7/toolkit.html then rethink the reason that assignments are set. The "kids as empty jugs waiting to be filled with my wisdom" theory is long out-of-date and it is distressing to see that so many still adhere to it. Before we set any assignment we need to articulate what it is we want the students to know, do, understand, appreciate and value as a result of doing the work. We need to respect that their time is as precious as our own and not waste it for them. It is my experience and observation that the most successful students (and I don't determine success by a string of straight As) are those most engaged. (Last year I was thrilled to see three students who had started school in the special needs learning centre graduate from a regular classroom - that's success!) We all get out what we put in, but if we are asked for minimum, it's a rare bird who offers maximum. If today's global situation is a result of the education system of 20 years ago, then we need to change things pretty smartly so this doesn't happen 20 years from now. Barbara (who appreciated all the positive comments she got about yesterday's message but may have to go into hiding after this one :>}) Barbara Braxton Teacher Librarian COOMA NSW 2630 AUSTRALIA E. barbara.288@bigpond.com Together we learn from each other -------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book. To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL 3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation. * LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ * LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/ * EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://lm-net.info/ * LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html * LM_NET Wiki: http://lmnet.wikispaces.com/ --------------------------------------------------------------------