Exploring Literature in the Age Beyond Spark Notes

While the internet and social media have brought to us many, many joys like Facebook, interactive video chats, Twitter, gaming, movies, etc..., this information and communication revolution has also brought with it an endless supply of outlets and resources that basically allow students to cheat on assignments that involve literature.  In fact, students can purchase packaged essays and research papers for just a few dollars.  In my college days, paper copies of Spark Notes could be seen around campus as students attempted to speed through the process of actually reading something, but today's resources go well beyond those now ancient measures.

Teachers don't assign papers and essays and comprehension questions over great literature to be demons.  There are legitimate and important concepts and lessons and discussion items that are beneficial.  Why does Atticus Finch take the case of Tom Robinson when Finch absolutely knows there is no chance of winning?  What a great opportunity for students to discuss how civil rights progress works.  Students will tell you, though, they just don't have time to read and do school work.  And in many cases, they are correct.

That new phone they are using, the car they are driving, the nice jeans with holes in them...those things cost money.  So many students are turning to part-time jobs during the school year to provide an income.  Other students are involved in time-consuming extra-curricular activities - sports, music, FFA, and many other activities.  Then there are video-games, Netflix, Tik Tok, and other entertainment venues that simply are more fun that reading a book and writing an analysis paper.

So enters the short-cut.

For teachers, it's harder and harder to craft authentic, meaningful literature assignments designed to limit the opportunities for cheating.  I suppose an argument could be made for trying to stay ahead of the resources and select good novels that are brand new, but who is going to buy those novels?  I have been asking my school for new textbooks since I arrived, and I've consistently been told there are no funds available for those kinds of resources.  I know I would get the same answer regarding a class set of novels.

In the end, it may be pessimistic, but I've basically given in.  In fact, I went so far as to provide copies of a Spark Notes packet for a novel that we have done in class.  I figured if students were going to short cut the assignment, at least they should all have the same short-cut, because in the end, a short-cut is created by someone, and like I try to express to students, they are getting someone's perspective, someone's thoughts and views and opinions.

I was surprised at how few students actually took me up on taking the packet, but what was interesting was that students would still attempt to find other short-cuts even when provided a short-cut.

We can only do what we can do.  How students cheat or short-cut or refuse to work is ultimately beyond our control.  Our job is just to do our job and try to not stress too much over the parts of our job that we can't control.  So there is still a good place for good classic literature; we just have to understand that students may not have the same appreciation.