Dear Parents,
Two of my greatest priorities this school year are to help your children become critical thinkers and skilled writers. But beyond these academic goals, I will try to stress the importance of developing certain ethical principles and using these principles to make decisions that place academic integrity above all else.
Over the years, I have occasionally come across a piece of student work that I do not feel is entirely the product of that student's efforts, and it disheartens me greatly. As a teacher, there is nothing more upsetting than a student who—consciously or un-consciously—allows someone else’s words to take the place of his or her own.
I can understand the desire of a parent, tutor or even an older sibling to help a student do well on an assignment, and I truly do appreciate the level of parental concern and involvement here at Darien High School. However, I urge you to help strengthen your children’s skills of fluency, diction and interpretation by encouraging them to meet with their teachers, work independently and learn from their own mistakes. Instead of editing their papers for them, please, have them make an appointment to see me; I meet regularly with students who have concerns about their writing, and it is something I enjoy doing. Encourage them, as I do, to re-write their papers until they are satisfied. In the end, the students are the ones who need to develop these academic skills and ethical principles. If they do not, we have not done our jobs adequately.
Thank you,
Matt Pavia
English Department