- ASSUMPTION: Scientific bias

• Impact of a lecture about "essays" (Grade 11 English course)

Teacher: I do not want to see plagiarism. Plagiarism is copying word for word, not citing a source , stealing work, using someone else’s idea. Even if you mix the ideas of many sources, you need to write down your sources. And I do not want your ideas about the subject. You cannot use I, ME, YOU because you are not a credible source, you didn’t do many years of research.

The teacher writes on the black board:

Double-space, Black or blue pen, 12 points font times roman, no title page

5 to 7 sentences/each paragraph is considered Junior

7 to 9 sentences/each paragraph is considered Senior

Up to 5 pages

Don’t put more than 2 quotations

First page: Student name; Teacher; Code of course; Date

Title in the center (no underline, no bold)

Paragraph 1- Introduction

Thesis – last sentence of introduction

Thesis: Thesis is one statement that tells what you will prove. For example: smoking by law in Sudbury should be mandatory because it is a dirty habit and it is bad to smoker’s health

Paragraph 2- dirty habit

Paragraph 3- smoker’s habit

Each paragraph has:

S- state

T – illustrate – example, quotation

E – elaborate – explain how it proves your point

Paragraph 5 – Conclusion – restatement of thesis. “Therefore, it is obvious..

For some students, the lecture might build distance: the teacher is saying the student 's experience is not valid since he doesn’t have many years of experience and research

Some students didn't like the smoking example because they smoke

The purpose of writing the essay is selling the writer's idea. The first paragraph sets up what the writer wants people to believe and the word “obvious” in the conclusion closes any debate. In this narrow view, the more assertive you are, the better grade you will have. There is not much space for welcoming diversity.

Main Page(Introduction)
Dialogues&Stories (Life, School, Classroom)

- ASSUMPTION: It's simple to fix and fit in

• The principal and the dress code
  

S1: Do you know why hats are forbidden?

S2: I don’t know about hats but the four fingers rule is so people don’t get distracted.

S1: Distracted?

S2: Shoulders must be covered by fabric thicker than four fingers thick so your body is not exposed…

S1: That’s what I’m saying, it’s not fair. I had to go back home and I was not exposed and they didn’t let me stay while this other girl with exposed breasts had the right to stay just by complaining “what the hell, my shoulder is thicker than 4 fingers, see?” . The vice principal let her stay despite her breasts being exposed!

S2: Did the principal brush when looking at her breasts, all exposed?(laugh)

S1: ... I was in the cafeteria, the principal said I needed to change clothes...I said I was going to have a test in 10 minutes. The principal said I had to change my clothes anyways…I was lucky I live close. As I was running back to the test I heard the “exposed breast” girl. If she could stay why did I have to be late for the test? They are so mean…they don’t care if I fail … they just want a quick fix; they just want to feel the rules are obeyed.

Main Page(Introduction)
Dialogues&Stories (Life, School, Classroom)

- ASSUMPTION: It's simple to use school resources

Student 1: Ah? So that classroom stays open at lunch time so students can work there? Since when? I am so behind…I use my mom’s computer but she lives far away and sometimes I can't take the bus.

Student 2: You don’t need the bus. The classroom stays open.

Student 1: I didn’t know

Student 3: Mr. X (a teacher who teaches in the morning and in the afternoon in a class with computers) leaves it opened for us. But one of us needs to stay there because if nobody is there the janitor closes the door after cleaning it.

Student 4: I don't think I'll use it. I'm for work. Bye guys.

Main Page(Introduction)
Dialogues&Stories (Life, School, Classroom)

- ASSUMPTION: The practice will teach

...

• A left brain student who had had a health problem asks “How could I know?”
  

S1: Why are you crying?

S2: My grades are so low…I didn’t know. I thought I was doing ok. See? I did all this homework and she didn’t give any of it back till today. I thought I was doing great!

S1: It's been three months and you only realize your homework was so bad now?

S2: See…it is all bad. I'm trying so hard. I'm trying so hard. Everybody saw how hard I'm trying since I came back to study…even when I have to go back to hospital I am keeping on time. Why didn’t she tell me? How could I know?

• Student as a product to be inspected at the end of the process

Student 1: The teacher rarely came to classroom, another one took her place. She asked us to fill a book. Neither one corrected our work, except once when the teacher sat with of us for 10 minutes…I asked for more corrections, I explain I wanted help with grammar. She said “don’t worry”. I can't believe she gave me 61! I have 85 to 100 in other courses

Student 2: The teacher opens the door, it is up to the student to learn, remember? She gave you the book, you were supposed to complete it all.

Student 1: I completed it.

Main Page(Introduction)
Dialogues&Stories (Life, School, Classroom)

- ASSUMPTION: School material as teaching resources

• Teaching resources instead of learning resources: tests
  

Student 1: I noticed that they (teachers) don’t give back the tests... When I insist on getting back my test, a teacher confessed she prefers the students don’t have the past tests because she would have to make new test for the next year.

• Teaching resources instead of learning resources: free for class and paid for home

...The last day of class, I told the teacher I wanted my book with our answers back...it is a reference book I am familiar now... I asked about my book, she (the teacher) had promised to give me back...The teacher said: "I suppose the graded book is lost but if you are interested the school is going to order new books, you might be able to buy one, ask the office staff"

Main Page(Introduction)
Dialogues&Stories (Life, School, Classroom)

- METHOD: Follow the credited ones

• Students shouldn't go beyond their teacher
  

Student: "... I wanted the text book we use in class but the teacher said we could not take it because if we study at home, he would nothing to teach in class"

• Student's shouldn't go beyond books
  

Student 1: Some student don’t talk too much because they were told they were “not credited” voices

Student 2: Yesterday I heard that...Here, see? I wrote down the teacher's instructions about Essays:
"Plagiarism is...you need to write down your sources. And I do not want your ideas about the subject. You can not use I, ME, YOU because you are not a credible source, you didn’t do many years of research"

Student1: Wow, do you write down every word teachers say?

Student 2: Almost everything, just listening makes me tired

TO RETURN to Introduction
to the Main Page
Dialogues&Stories (Life, School, Classroom)

- METHOD: Wait, it takes time

• Waiting 8 months for a book
  

Student: I received the report card by mail...I could not contest it (my grade) because they didn't give my book back...first she (the teacher) was on holiday and when I met her she said another teacher had taken my book and graded it...I went to the office again, the staff was helpful and looked for it. I spoked to my teacher again, she told me the teacher who had graded my book was not working there anymore...Nobody knew where my book was but the staff seemed confident they would find it...After 8 months it showed up. Things just take time.

• Wait, you are learning too fast!

Student (commenting a computer course episode): As a student didn’t stop programming, the teacher said: “You are supposed to participate of the class. You never stop programming. This is why I don’t let people take the books home. What do you think is going to happen when you finish with the book? I am not paid to plan new lesson for you just because you are too fast to learn”.

Main Page(Introduction)
Dialogues&Stories (Life, School, Classroom)