The Sidwell English Department has instituted a new policy: essay work must be completed solely in class. The decision marks a drastic change in the way English courses will function. In previous years, the standard essay consisted of a roughly week-long process, during which students could work on the essay both in class and at home. However, this previous model had several flaws that the new policy aims to remedy.
Firstly, the issue of cheating with AI will be resolved under this new policy. As AI grows more sophisticated, teachers face increasing difficulty in discerning whether a student’s work is purely their own. This policy makes utilizing AI practically impossible. In-class essays, many of which will be handwritten, provide no room for students to use online writing resources during the writing process, thus encouraging original work.
The second method of cheating this policy addresses is receiving help from parents or tutors. Allegedly, students have had their parents or tutors review their essays, making direct edits, which, per the English department’s policy, constitute academic dishonesty. In-class essays prevent the possibility of another person making direct edits. This system still allows students to seek guidance about the assignment without accidentally creating a scenario in which they violate the honor code.
Additionally, this policy is critical because it levels the playing field for students. By leaving fewer opportunities for cheating, the new system ensures that no student can gain an unfair advantage. The policy will solidify the atmosphere of academic honesty and rigor that Sidwell seeks to cultivate.
Another positive effect of the policy is that English teachers can read more material with their class since they no longer have to wait an entire week for students to write papers. Only a few periods will be taken up, allowing teachers to resume instruction more quickly.
For students, this also means they will receive essay grades back faster, because in-class essays will inevitably be shorter than week-long essays. Rather than the regular two- to three-week grading period for an essay, an in-class essay can be returned in roughly one week.
Arguments about “better writing” can be addressed in two ways. Firstly, if people are concerned about the loss of time to develop in-depth and refined theses, they need not worry: Sidwell has another class—history—where students craft theses over extended periods. Secondly, if they believe the 45-minute time pressure is too short to write an essay, then there is no reason why a week is necessarily sufficient. Teachers are not expecting the same essay length or level of refinement; what a teacher considers ‘good’ has shifted to align with the new policy.
However, the arbitrary time limit is not a reason for a drop in the quality of ideas or in the basic principles of written analysis.
Over time, the new policy will become the standard, and students may be surprised to discover that their English writing skills remain intact and may even improve.
For those who believe that essay ideas emerge over a prolonged period, preparation before the assessment is key. All teachers post major assessments on the test calendar and provide sufficient time before an assessment to explain its content. Especially for major English assessments, students know the stories and can prepare theses and evidence before the test for a range of topics.