The Basics: Reading, Writing … Cheating

The level of cheating among students may be higher than ever before due to technology and the pressure of extensive standardized testing. At least half of students admit to cheating, especially those in high school, when grades have such a tremendous influence on prospects for college and future jobs.

It’s so prevalent that many kids aren’t even aware of it when they do it. For example, in one study 40 percent of students didn’t consider cutting and pasting large sections from Internet sites into their own work to be plagiarism.

Old-fashioned methods, like writing on ankles or wrists, are still used, but newer tricks have entered the mix: notes written on the backs of labels that are removed and then glued back onto water bottles, answers sent as cell phone text messages, recorded on iPods or stored in programmable calculators, not to mention entire research papers that can be purchased online.

Teachers are taking various measures to prevent cheating, like prohibiting electronic gadgets from classrooms, assigning very specific research paper topics to limit access to existing resources to copy, creating multiple versions of exams or even limiting trips to the bathroom. It’s a battle of wits that isn’t likely to end any time soon.

Anti-Smoking Ads Are Backfiring

Believe it or not, the more anti-smoking ad campaigns teens see, the more likely they are to smoke. Although it seems counter-intuitive, the reason may be that since most teens want to be rebellious, they identify with being involved in such a risky activity.

Instead of stressing the dangers of smoking (a technique that studies have shown to have little impact on teens), experts believe focusing on peer pressure is a more effective way to get the anti-smoking message across. Being accepted by friends and social networks are tremendously important to teens, so advertising “Smoking just isn’t cool. It’s what all your friends aren’t doing,” would probably produce more desirable results.

Electronic Micromanaging of Grades Can Have Negative Impact

Most parents consider online reporting of their kids’ grades and school attendance a good thing. Depending on how parents use the information, though, the constant immediate feedback can break down boundaries that are important to their children maturing and taking on personal responsibilities.

Electronic feedback can enhance communication between parents and teachers by providing results of daily assignments, exams and projects, but kids often find it to be extremely intrusive. This is especially true when parents don’t give them a chance to handle a problem or challenge on their own.

Electronic feedback on academic performance is a valuable tool, but parents should also take into account the transitions that adolescents are going through as they struggle to find their own identity. Ellen deLara, an adolescence specialist at Syracuse University, says students are inventing themselves, trying out different ways of being in the world and even how to present bad news to parents.

Technology is giving parents the opportunity to micromanage their kids’ academic performance in ways that were never possible before. So, it’s important to use the feedback as a way to open communication and help kids handle new challenges rather than jumping in to “fix” things or make accusations.

Sleep Problems Linked to Bullying

Kids identified as bullies are more than twice as likely to have breathing problems during sleep as other kids. This includes snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing actually stops temporarily. Even mild snoring has been shown to be related to behavioral problems in school and hyperactivity.

Although good sleep hygiene is important for proper behavioral, emotional and cognitive development, there is no indication that sleep deprivation actually causes aggressive behavior. Researchers point out that there are many factors that influence how a child interacts with others, particularly family dynamics. However, the prevalence of sleep difficulties among bullies may present an innovative way to help identify and treat problems related to both sleep and social interaction.

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