Thank you for this and your hard work and passion writing this. I taught writing in college, too, and was left very sad and exhausted. Critical thinking seems a lost art sometimes. People demand to be told what they already believe, or have been told or bullied into believing, and can't (or won't) evaluate the fundamental assumptions and arguments of their alleged beliefs. And I think that is true across the political spectrum, from Bible thumper to social justice enthusiast.
It brightens my heart to think of writing students I've had who were keen to do the work, who had curious minds, intellectual ambition, and a sense that college wasn't just about getting a piece of paper to unlock future job prospects. Thinking of those students, I have to believe a positive case against using AI to write can be made and won in the classroom. But then, of course, I think of all the students I've had who took shortcuts, plagiarized, did just the bare minimum, or otherwise treated my class like a burden rather than the opportunity it really was. I must admit the latter group outnumbers the former. And yeah, it's a sad thought. Especially because, as you mentioned, teaching writing is so exhausting in itself. It's terrible to see all our efforts come to naught.
Yeah, I've lived all that. I had those kinds of students, too, who really grew and were grateful. They write you back years later, telling you how right you were about the value of being able to write well. One even became his company's unofficial writing mentor. Wow!
But for most, I was their lowest priority "fifth class" after the courses needed for the major. And since I taught pre-meds, there was the constant, crippling pressure to get an A on everything. It was that sickness that drove me out. I started this project 6 hours before deadline--give me an A. I didn't read or follow the prompt--give me an A. I turned everything in late all semester--give me an A. And the plagiarism of course.
A student actually confided in me that the reason she did the easiest and dumbest projects was the risk of not getting an A! Our best and brightest students, dumbing *themselves* down!
Thank you for this and your hard work and passion writing this. I taught writing in college, too, and was left very sad and exhausted. Critical thinking seems a lost art sometimes. People demand to be told what they already believe, or have been told or bullied into believing, and can't (or won't) evaluate the fundamental assumptions and arguments of their alleged beliefs. And I think that is true across the political spectrum, from Bible thumper to social justice enthusiast.
It brightens my heart to think of writing students I've had who were keen to do the work, who had curious minds, intellectual ambition, and a sense that college wasn't just about getting a piece of paper to unlock future job prospects. Thinking of those students, I have to believe a positive case against using AI to write can be made and won in the classroom. But then, of course, I think of all the students I've had who took shortcuts, plagiarized, did just the bare minimum, or otherwise treated my class like a burden rather than the opportunity it really was. I must admit the latter group outnumbers the former. And yeah, it's a sad thought. Especially because, as you mentioned, teaching writing is so exhausting in itself. It's terrible to see all our efforts come to naught.
Yeah, I've lived all that. I had those kinds of students, too, who really grew and were grateful. They write you back years later, telling you how right you were about the value of being able to write well. One even became his company's unofficial writing mentor. Wow!
But for most, I was their lowest priority "fifth class" after the courses needed for the major. And since I taught pre-meds, there was the constant, crippling pressure to get an A on everything. It was that sickness that drove me out. I started this project 6 hours before deadline--give me an A. I didn't read or follow the prompt--give me an A. I turned everything in late all semester--give me an A. And the plagiarism of course.
A student actually confided in me that the reason she did the easiest and dumbest projects was the risk of not getting an A! Our best and brightest students, dumbing *themselves* down!