If you want to prevent students from cheating, make them write essays that are unique to your specific class. A prompt that compares readings or specific content from your class will produce more unique essays than a general prompt. These essay prompts should be changed when teaching new classes. Students may be tempted to plagiarize if students they know have written on the prompts you are giving. If you don't want your students working on essays together, you need to make that clear before the assignment is even given. Some students will work together effectively, which can enhance the learning process. However, it can be a problem if one student just copies another student's essay. Decide whether you want students to work independently and then let them know, so that they cannot claim ignorance of your policy. You can always state that you are OK with students working together, but what they turn in must be their own work. This allows them to work together but it also requires them to do some independent work as well. Since many students are very technologically savvy, you can use that knowledge to your benefit. Have students turn in assignments through an online software program that checks it for plagiarism, such as Turnitin or PlagScan.  Most universities have this type of program built into the websites that they use for students. If your school doesn't have this type of program available, discuss getting access to one with your supervisor. There tend to be more cases of cheating in the computer science department than other departments at many universities, simply because they have great resources for automated cheat checking. Students should only require roughly one week to request a regrade after work is returned. Make the deadline the same for everybody, regardless of whether they picked the assignment or exam up before your set deadline.  This way, once the class ends, you are not pressured to review a ton of assignments that were returned months ago. Students, especially those near the course grade boundaries, may want to make attempts to seek extra points to raise their course grades at the end of the term.
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One-sentence summary -- Create unique essay prompts. Make your expectations clear. Use software that checks for plagiarism. Make regrade request deadlines soon after the assignment was returned.


Read many kinds of literature including books, magazines, newspapers and poetry. Reading is the best way to confront challenging topics, pick up vocabulary and writing techniques, and discover new material to bring to the classroom. Depending on the grade you teach, you should be familiar with the most important works in literary history. And you should always be able to give reading suggestions to your students.  As well as reading important literature, read for fun. Remember why you love reading, and encourage your students to do the same. Be aware of current trends in reading material, and try out the things you think your students might be reading. This will help you better understand their interests and relate to them outside the classroom, which will make you a more effective teacher overall. Make a point of looking up new words that you come across in your reading. Study your favorite words and begin to amass a large vocabulary. Challenge yourself to think about words you don't know. Guess at their etymology, and use similar words to figure out their meaning. Don't be afraid to look up words that you're unsure about, and encourage your students to do the same.  At the same time, teach your students that the mark of a good writer isn't just whipping out two-dollar words and using them to sound sophisticated. Teach your students the difference between using a word to draw a historical comparison, or using an alliterative word, and using a word to impress someone with your learning. There are more and less useful ways of wielding words. Never talk down to your students for not knowing or understanding a word. Let them know, "It's alright, that's a difficult word." Then, use a synonym, provide them with context clues, or help them look it up so that they become familiar with a more advanced vocabulary. Students need to be able to read your handwriting so that they can understand notes you take on the whiteboard or feedback you give on an essay. Write letters or keep a journal to keep your handwriting alive and healthy, and always focus on readability rather than the speed of your writing. Make sure you have a firm grasp of spelling, punctuation, and grammar. You don't want to find yourself teaching your students mistaken or wrong information. Use reference books and the Internet as sources for grammar and punctuation rules, and don't be afraid to look up topics you're not sure about.
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One-sentence summary -- Read regularly. Expand your vocabulary. Practice your handwriting. Develop your English language skills.


While you may be embarrassed about your ED, shutting your partner out is not the answer. The problem involves both of you, and your partner will end up feeling distant and neglected if you don't keep her or him involved in your life. Make every effort to talk with your partner about what's going on. The outlook is generally much better for men who involve their partner in the healing process. Erectile dysfunction is like any other problem in a relationship, and requires both partners to fully fix. You may have to attend doctor's appointments and therapy sessions to treat your ED, and it would be great to have your partner there for you. Men and women with a partner struggling with ED often blame themselves for not satisfying their partner. Most often, however, it is a physical or mental issue with the man, not his partner. You need to make this clear to your partner, otherwise he or she may internalize the problem and feel like the cause.  Reassure your partner that you're committed to the relationship, and this isn't a sign that you aren't interested. Stress that you're not having an affair or are interested in someone else. Some partners see ED as a sign of an affair, but this is not true an overwhelming majority of the time. Prevent suspicion and negative feelings in your partner by assuring him or her of this.  Of course, don't lie to your partner. If there is a problem with the relationship, you need to communicate this. Tell your partner if he or she does something sexually that you don't like, or if you have sexual needs that aren't being met. Dissatisfaction with your sex life could be a contributing factor to your ED. Have an honest conversation with your partner about your needs. Keeping your needs to yourself could make the problem worse. Keep this conversation friendly and blame-free. This is a sensitive topic, and your partner may feel like he or she failed you by not meeting a sexual need. Assure your partner that you're committed to the relationship, and that this is a way to strengthen the relationship. Erectile dysfunction can put a strain on any relationship, even if you've properly communicated with your partner. If you and your partner are having trouble getting through this, try going to therapy together. A counselor can help you work through your problems and remain strong as a couple.
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One-sentence summary --
Keep your partner informed about what's going on. Ask for your partner's help and support. Reassure your partner that the problem isn't him or her. Talk with your partner about your sex life. Consider going to counseling with your partner.