Parsing the Fine Print

Seventh grade world history. Monday, third period. 

Every teacher has one. For this teacher, it's third period. They've been in play mode since I met them. 

For the beginning of the semester, they've started studying medieval Europe. They were given a poster assignment. It's mostly about Joan of Arc, but it's also about the Hundred Years War. Ms. B gave them all the info they needed to include on the poster on slides in Google Classroom. (Apparently they've done this sort of thing before all through the first semester.) 

In the instructions, there was a big warning: do not trace from the computer screen. 

But alas, seventh graders. Tracing things has become de rigeur for them. They whine that they can't draw, that their work doesn't look good, and that they need to trace pictures. 

I point out that this is not an art class. We're not looking for perfection. We just want them to use their own creativity. 

So, on Monday, I was again pointing out that they were not to trace their pictures...

Student: "Can we trace from our phones?"

Deep sigh. 

The middle school rule is phones are put away in backpacks. If I see them, I get to confiscate them. And, I reminded them of this rule the previous week. I would think that if phones are forbidden... But seventh graders. 

Student: "It says no tracing from the computer. It says nothing about phones. Ms. B lets us..." 

So, I reiterated NO TRACING, pointing out that phones aren't to be out during class. 

But no, that wasn't good enough. The student said he'd email Ms. B. 

Later that day, I got an email from Ms. B about other things, but she mentioned getting an email from a student about tracing from his phone. Her take? They shouldn't have their cell phones out ("they are sneaky") and no tracing. 

Exactly what I said. Well, mostly. 

They really shouldn't doubt my word. (If I'm not sure about something, I will hedge, then clarify with the teacher. But if I give an instruction, I'm fairly certain I'm making the right call.) But middle schoolers. 

So, no one tried to trace again, right? A couple class periods later, I found a student tracing the pictures from his computer. Sigh.

(I'm still learning the students, but I'm about 50% sure it was the student who emailed the teacher. Because, of course.)