Students Plagiarize

Students plagiarize. They plagiarize because they are tired, they plagiarize because they are ignorant, they plagiarize because they are lazy, and they plagiarize because they are overwhelmed.

When I get discouraged about plagiarism (and I do get discouraged when out of a class of 17, 10 students plagiarize), I remember one of the best lessons I ever learned about teaching.

I had been teaching the American Revolution to high school students and it came out that they were confusing the American Revolution with the Industrial Revolution. I told a friend about this class. I said, "I can't believe American students could be so ignorant of their own history!" My friend looked at me and said, "Isn't that why you are teaching them?"

I suppose that sentence has always stayed with me. "Isn't that why you are teaching them?" Students plagiarize--this is why I'm teaching them. I'm teaching them because I want them to care about their learning and their writing. I want them to enjoy their minds and the pleasure that comes from doing something well.

Students plagiarize. It's time for me to roll up my sleeves, pray harder, and learn more thoroughly how to make my students think, dream, learn, and write. God grant me the wisdom.