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Spring Break

Spring Break is here and it's snowing! Predictions are that it will rainy/snowy/generally crappy weather... I'll be using the time to catch up on everything that has been piling up over the last three months. My desk appears to weakening under the pressure of the paper piles.
 
The essays from the Writers' Workshop seem to be very well done. I've only gone through a few, but the students seem to be very proud of their work and are excited to share them with each other.
 
Unfortunately, the research papers seem to be full of plagarized information, wacky citations and little student opinion, reflection or even thought about the chosen topic. I was so disappointed, I almost cried. Instead, after talking to several colleagues, I gave the papers back and told students that they had two weeks to clean them up and turn them back in. So far, I've received 5 back - out of 30 students. Even in choosing their own topic ( an issue in a book they had read/enjoyed previously), working on it for two weeks, conferencing with each student, they still choose the easiest way out of doing anything possible.

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