Grammar News

Deputy Principal

PETER CUMMINS

Deputy Principal - Teaching & Learning

 

Academic Honesty

The educational programs at Oakleigh Grammar are about preparing students to be successful in school and to be active, curious and creative learners.

 

All students are expected to adhere to the highest standards of personal honesty and integrity in their work, i.e. Academic honesty. Submissions to teachers must be original or correctly referenced. This is even more important today as schools across the world switch into the remote learning mode as a result of the Coronavirus.

 

Academic honesty is about the authentic presentation of a student’s work. This involves the student appropriately acknowledging the work of others in the presentation of their own material. It is important for students to adhere to the highest standards of personal honesty and integrity in their work. Students must endeavour to behave in a ‘principled’ manner, as outlined in the IB Learner Profile. Submissions to teachers must be original with the knowledge of others correctly referenced.

 

Respect for academic honesty is not just confined to plagiarism. It also extends to proper conduct in written examinations and all forms of assessment, collusion, duplication of work, and any other behaviour that gains an unfair advantage for a student, or that affects the result of another student.

 

Here are some techniques to help students learn how to avoid academic dishonesty, and know when they are not following academic honesty guidelines:  

  • Learn how to manage your time so you don’t panic at the end and feel plagiarism is the only alternative.
  • Do not allow others to copy your work, as you will be an ‘accessory to the crime’ and penalised as well.
  • Don’t hand in someone else’s work as your own.
  • Learn the Oakleigh Grammar accepted method of referencing and constructing bibliographies.
  • Sources of photographs, maps, illustrations, computer programs, data, graphs, blog material, etc. must be acknowledged if they are not your work.
  • Properly use direct and indirect quotations in your assignments.
  • When taking notes from any source, always copy the bibliographic information immediately so you can easily acknowledge this when writing the assignment later.
  • When you write a quotation in your notes, make sure it has quotation marks around it, so you later realise it’s a quote and not your own words.
  • Separate your ideas from others’ as you are taking notes. You may use brackets or different coloured pens to separate your comments from the author’s words.
  • Learn how to effectively synthesize information into something that is your own work.

Oakleigh Grammar is committed to the achievement of academic excellence and the fostering of principled actions in our students. Part of this process is recognising the intellectual property rights of others, and upholding principles of academic honesty. Academic dishonesty compromises academic standards and devalues the quality of learning.

PETER DICKINSON

Deputy Principal - Operations

 

Coping with Remote Learning from a Welfare Perspective

Remote learning, while new and different, still requires seriousness of purpose. Like many situations, different students may take a little longer to settle into remote learning than others, this includes developing routines and the ability to focus for increasing lengths of time. Not all students initially respond positively to an online learning environment; some struggle with too much independence or lack of structure, and so check-ins (parents or teachers) help keep them on track. This week has provided students of all ages (and parents), with an opportunity to trial different strategies and see what works for them. I am sure you will continue to adapt, as every family group is unique and operates on structures and routines that best suit their work life and personal commitments.

 

Parents are urged to be mindful though, that being confined to home for a long time can cause stress and conflict for any of us. Noting also, that our students place great emphasis on their interactions with their peers and will be impacted by social distancing. 

 

From a welfare point of view, I thought I would share some suggestions for your consideration during this period:

  • Taking the opportunity to talk to your whole family about what is happening. Understanding the situation will most likely reduce their anxiety and allow them to be critical consumers of the information surrounding the current health crisis.
  • Helping your children to consider how they have coped with difficult situations in the past, and reassuring them that they will manage with this situation too. Reassuring them that reduced peer to peer contact will not be permanent. Suggesting they take a break from following regular news updates, as overthinking this situation will not be helpful for them in the long run.
  • Reminding your child to exercise regularly. Options could include dancing, yoga, jumping on a trampoline (if you have one). Exercise is a proven way of managing stress, low mood and depression. 
  • Doing some drawing, puzzles or board games together as a family are some other ideas, and even some gardening. I am planning to use this time to create some online photobooks. Perhaps have the students create an 'Our Family Favourite Recipes' book, and then get them to prepare some of the meals from this book.
  • Proactively continue to monitor screen time and their social media use (as age appropriate) during this period. We do not want students to spend long periods of time sitting in front of a screen, yet need to balance the work requirements with their social needs.
  • Encouraging your children to keep in touch with family members and friends via telephone, email or Face Time etc.  

 

I wish you all well and offer my support if required. In this time of uncertainty, and as we head towards Easter…

 

May the Spirit of Easter fill your hearts with joy and gladness, and give you a reason to hold on even when times are tough.