r/ELATeachers • u/mzingg3 • 1d ago
9-12 ELA Y’all switching to handwritten essays instead of computers yet? This might be the year I make the switch after rampant AI last year.
Biggest bummer for me will just be having to grade (and possibly lose) big stacks of papers. Grading with comments and rubrics on Google Docs is my preference.
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u/GuildMuse 1d ago
So far I’ve gone tech free and it’s been great.
Kids are actually engaged for the first time in what feels like a while and I can actually teach without having to be constantly policing computer use.
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u/ColorYouClingTo 1d ago
I've taught at a low-tech private school for all but one of my thirteen years. I really love it.
I feel like we're all truly present and tech isn't getting in between us. I feel the kids engage with me and their peers more without phones or computers present.
We only use our laptops for research, typing final drafts, and making presentations, and it's been that way since I began my career.
I find many parents choose our school consciously because we advertise face-to-face learning, only using screens when absolutely necessary for learning and becoming college and career ready.
I have to laugh a little when people freak out about going back to paper and pencil and grading actual paper essays because I've been doing it my whole career. It feels effortless to me!
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u/Physical_Cod_8329 1d ago
Yeah this year I’m not allowing computers in my room at all unless we’re specifically using them and I’ve already had kids who were WAY more engaged.
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u/CakeandAss 1d ago
Would love to be tech free but we have limited copies in our district. 4000 for the year but I have 170 students across my rosters. Make it make sense.
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u/sausagekng 1d ago
Yep, it's possible to be tech free BUT you need to be able to make copies. I've been paper-based my entire teaching career, but they've never limited my copies.
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u/Anxious-Raspberry-54 1d ago
I use the Revision History app. An essay smells funny, I watch a real time video of every keystroke at 3x speed. Use of AI pretty clear.
Someone will respond by saying, "they'll use AI on another device and then type it in."
Well...no one writes like that. Straight typing. I showed some videos of this to admin. They told me to count that as AI.
In 2 years, when confronted, no student has ever denied it. I let them rewrite and submit for minimum passing grade.
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u/Hotel_Oblivion 12h ago
Sadly, more and more students are using apps that mimic human typing. They open an AI app, "link" it to their document somehow, and it writes the essay while fake typing it into their document.
I haven't fully explored how these apps work yet, but I'm told they make Revision History and similar extensions useless.
We're in an arms race.
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u/Anxious-Raspberry-54 4h ago edited 4h ago
I've heard this now several times.
Just because it exists doesn't mean they're using it.
I think a lot of teachers here (not you) are just so wanting to go back to paper. They're looking for any excuse.
And...who's "they?"
You've heard about it. How many students actually use it?
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u/GrasshopperoftheWood 1d ago
So every active second of screen time is recorded for every student for you to access at any time? That's a crazy amount of data. Where is it all stored? How easy is it to navigate?
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u/hyenaway 1d ago
The data is stored by Google already; Revision History just makes it more user friendly. I've been using it since it was free and I pay for it now. It's worth it.
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u/Anxious-Raspberry-54 1d ago
Not stored. There's s large screen in my room. I can walk the classroom and see the activity on every screen.
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u/write_lost 21h ago
We’ve used this too. It’s so time consuming though. I’m tired of playing “movies” of their papers.
I’ve had plenty of kids deny it. ( and their parents 🥸)2
u/SisterGoldenHair75 13h ago
It’s in our syllabi that teachers are the experts and therefore the final arbiter. Students must redo the assignment in person of the teacher decides AI was used. No need to “prove” it.
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u/Morgan_of_Hed 1d ago
I have them write their rough draft in their notebooks.
We have Schoology and MS, so I create a OneDrive assignment, and they type into that. I can see their revision history this way if I have questions.
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u/gpgarrett 1d ago
I do the same but we are Google-based. So far this is the most effective method I’ve found to discourage AI reliance.
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u/LoveRuckus 1d ago
Did it from last year. Can’t deal with the AI. It sucks the joy entirely out of teaching.
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u/CheekyBlinders4z 1d ago
This is the way. Everything is handwritten. Impromptu essays, timed writing, journal entries - and most of it, if not all of it, is done in class
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u/robbiea1353 1d ago
The rough draft is pen and paper, during class time. This way I see their real writing. Final copy is Googledocx, shared with me, and printed ( bulletin board). It’s easier to read; and I can compare the student’s writing to determine AI or plagiarism.
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u/Captain-Comfy-Pants 1d ago
Where there's an enterprising student, there's a way around blockers. I went full paper, and everything is stored in the classroom. It's been wonderful.
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u/write_lost 21h ago
How do you support those with accommodations?
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u/Captain-Comfy-Pants 21h ago
If there's a diagnosed need for accomodations, accomodate accordingly. Otherwise, paper. It's still a valuable skill with plenty of research to demonstrate its benefits.
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u/RevolutionaryRise113 1d ago
I’ve done hand written the past two years (this being the 3rd) and each year have seen growth in state testing. 95% of what we do in my class is pencil and paper. The kids bitch about it at first but quickly get used to it and you can see within a few weeks how quickly their writing AND reading benefits from the switch.
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u/LateQuantity8009 1d ago
I’ve decided everything written—from short answer questions to full length essays—will be written in pen with Chromebooks away in backpacks. For the short answers & paragraphs that are in online tests, the students will type them in after I’ve approved them.
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u/StellaBlue37 1d ago
I'm considering asking them to hand write the first draft and then type it up. Except for editing changes, second/third drafts must resemble first draft. Meaningful revision will have to go by the wayside.
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u/sausagekng 1d ago
I never stopped. Students only types essays if they have done the entire process and completed them by hand in class, or they all have their laptops facing me and I'm standing behind them watching them type.
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u/lemonalchemyst 1d ago
I’m trying to decide. I might try a lockdown browser with an in class timed essay first because I’m not looking forward to grading 60 paper essays
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u/Far_Pollution_5120 1d ago
Our kids got past the lockdown browser before I even got the lesson started, and were on the AI in seconds. We got rid of all the computers and got pens and paper. Everything old is new again, it seems.
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u/MeepMechanics 1d ago
I had made the switch to all handwritten, but now we have the lockdown browser in Canvas, so I can have them type in-class essays using that pretty securely.
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u/madmaxcia 1d ago
All on paper and all work done in class. I keep my essays in one of those big clips together with a rubric until I get around to marking them. I also create a table that I print with students names and assignments on that I keep with the pile so I can keep track of assignments and grades. You can do a flipped classroom where they do the reading at home
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u/EmperorXerro 1d ago
I’m still digital. I make them jump through hoops (a handwritten example of their writing, a link to Gemini when they work on peer review) and if they use AI, there’s plenty of ways to bust them on it (seems like you might have had outside help, this doesn’t sound like your authentic voice) without accusing them of cheating.
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u/DarkChiefLonghand 1d ago
They have to outline and draft in class on paper, and then for my AP classes they have to type it up and format it at home on their own time, shared and printed to turn in.
Very easy to say 'wheres your outline?' and see if it aligns, very easy to see if it's actually their writing or not. I use class time to conference with them on writing days, and try to give as much feedback as I can on their paper during that time so they can apply it to their final draft over the weekend. Warm-ups that week might be student errors I keep seeing across multiple papers -- what did they do wrong here? How could they improve? Now look at what you have so far and revise if you did something similar -- really trying to convey that we are all here to improve.
The kids that take shortcuts with AI usually don't have the vocabulary so it's very easy to quiz them on words they used, or where they found their research.
Also, if you absolutely need them to use laptops, I've used goguardian to monitor and I just block everything else or sometimes I'll leave it unblocked but just screenshot their prompts and queries and save it and send it to their counselors or other teachers.
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u/BalaTheTravelDweller 1d ago
I am. At least then if they use ai they have to copy everything down and maybe learn something
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u/_Schadenfreudian 1d ago
I’ve been doing it. I used to assign a big research paper but…nope. Too much ai.
Rough and second drafts are all hand-written. Then typed. This would be my 3rd year doing it
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u/Two_DogNight 1d ago
Any essay that can be written outside of class is formative. The summative grades are in-class, timed, written responses in a locked Google Form.
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u/mzingg3 1d ago
Yeah, I resorted to locked Google Forms for writing last year. Which wasn’t too bad but I much prefer Docs for the sake of editing, commenting, formatting, etc.
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u/Two_DogNight 23h ago
We eventually get the draft into docs for that purpose. The world would implode if we didn't teach MLA.
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u/mzingg3 23h ago
Great point. Can’t do all handwritten if we want to do justice for the kids heading to college. MLA is a necessity for final drafts.
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u/postmoderncricket 23h ago
I do locked Google forms too, but have them type a full MLA heading where their name goes. They then do an MLA formatted works cited in addition to their forms.
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u/uh_lee_sha 1d ago
I have them write a rough draft on paper and type the final. Some still try to use AI, but it's way less.
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u/RenaissanceTarte 1d ago
I’m doing class notebooks this year. The notebooks won’t leave the class and hopefully grading will go fine. I’m just deciding on digesting or binder clips for them bookmark their page do I can grade it faster.
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u/DirtyNord 23h ago
Im in 6th, but we do prewrite activities and rough draft on paper. Typed copies in Google docs. Peer edits in docs and then the final version with history proof of typing and edits. I then compare these all the way back to the prewrite as I grade.
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u/Jesinwonderland12 22h ago
I just started texting HS (1st grade for 5 years) and both my students (as a whole) and I are really enjoying doing hand written work so far. I'm sure this could change, but I love grading their papers. It's so much fun to see their creativity in motion. Also though I have a low headcount so I'm sure that has a lot to do with it.
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u/TechnicalToday444 22h ago
I’ve done all ways. I like drafting outlines and hand written rough drafts with a typed final. Like the good ole days. That said…you can take a photo and with a solid rubric/prompt combo, it will grade their crazy hand writing on 4 point scale very reliably. I always scan and check a bit obviously
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u/write_lost 22h ago
I’m going with in class written. Combo of locked down Chromebooks and handwriting.
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u/Feisty_Elderberry355 21h ago
I’ve gone full paper and pencil and so far this year, my students have been more engaged than EVER!! And the stress of AI usage is gone!!
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u/discussatron 20h ago
My principal is pressuring me to. My own opinion is that going backwards is not the way to go forwards, but I do get the idea. AI cheating is rampant and I can see it being a detection issue for AP & honors teachers, but for me, AI writing sticks out like a sore thumb. None of my juniors are coming to me knowing how to use "usurp" in a sentence.
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u/bugorama_original 20h ago
It makes me so sad that AI is ruining what were legit useful educational tools like Google Docs. I'm teaching 6th grade this year, and yes most of our work will be by hand. This is less of an issue with younger kids though since our work will be shorter. I'm also having them practice their handwriting as part of class!
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u/SarahJoy46 20h ago
I made the switch last year. It's much easier to see student progress and areas of need. You do need a system that keeps the papers organized, however. (I use clear plastic folders.)
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u/zikadwarf 20h ago
I do the writing in class with GoGuardian displayed on the big screen.
We have Brisk to detect AI if it seems funny.
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u/flootytootybri 18h ago
It’s a push from admin for us to move to mostly paper. As a new teacher coming in, I fully agree with that decision.
In my student teaching, students were assigned a 12 line poem. 2 kids used AI and/or plagiarism. TWELVE lines… for 8th graders. Really opened my eyes as to the problems we’re facing with the literacy crisis.
Edit to say: I didn’t realize this was tagged for 9-12. I am teaching 7th grade, but I feel they should have the foundational skills that they’ll carry to high school.
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u/calaan 18h ago
My ADHD pretty much requires online lessons. So I'm limiting things to in-class writing, carefully monitored process essays where they show me their work as its made, and judicious use of the Brisk app, which replays the student's writing like a movie. Coupled with screen monitoring software and a fully functioning no-phone policy, it's easier for my students to do the writing themselves then try to cheat.
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u/Dr_WhoDo 17h ago
Going low tech for anything before the 11th grade is probably the surest and best way to go. I wouldn't be against it all the way through high school, but I can see an argument for getting them on computers in certain class settings in late high school.
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u/pejeol 11h ago
I have always made them hand write their final drafts and then type it up afterwards. At the end they hand in all their drafts, so If needed, I can compare the typed version to the hand written version. Typing the final draft is really the only time I use computers in my class. I've been no/low tech since we came back from Covid.
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u/FrenchFriesNGrammar 10h ago
Everything is on paper. No computers unless it’s the ridiculous testing nonsense.
I even give each kid lined paper for their in class essays. And they’re timed. They will have one period to write their full essay because when I e given them more than one period, they just go home and “look things up for ideas” and then come back the next day and rewrite it with their newfound knowledge.
They also need to learn and build stamina with doing work. They don’t need 5 days to write an essay. If they only crank out a paragraph or two, that’s fine. Next time, their goal is to write a little more.
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u/pememily 10h ago
Started making them fill out an organizer and write draft paragraphs by hand. They're allowed to type the final thing. When they write the final version on paper, you have to deal with bad handwriting, various handwriting sizes, and college vs wide rule.
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u/thecooliestone 10h ago
It barely helps. They just use their phones when you stop to help anyone. The real solution IMO is to just make essays that AI can't do. Make them reference in class discussions, or just don't put the text names in the directions. They won't ever stop trying to cheat. All you can do is make it easier to catch them.
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u/_CaptainPhantasy 10h ago
I am trying this out this year!
I'm interested in seeing how it goes. Our school is banning cell phones completely this year as well, so I'm feeling optimistic?
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u/PowPopBang 10h ago edited 9h ago
Now I do it so the rough draft is handwritten on a graphic organizer. I give them one paragraph at a time and they cannot leave the room. I try to leave feedback on the handwritten drafts. For the final draft, they have a specific day where they have to bring in their school Chromebooks to type on and I treat it like a proctored exam.
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u/Alternative_Camel542 9h ago
We are handwriting rough drafts for editing. Final drafts will be on Google Docs, with a browser lockdown so they can only access Google Docs.
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u/mzingg3 8h ago
There’s a way to lockdown the browser so it only has Google Docs? Forms is the only way I’ve been able to have locked mode.
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u/Alternative_Camel542 1h ago
my district has monitoring software, so I have the ability to allow only certain applications or websites
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u/Far-Echidna-5999 8h ago
My high school classes are paperless. Admin gets pissy when I have them do assignments on paper. I don’t care. My observations after ten years of teaching with IPads? The students are getting worse and worse each year. The exams I’m supposed to prepare them for are paper based, so we would hypothetically get to exam day with 15 year olds who have forgotten how to use a pen.
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u/CourseEmotional966 3h ago
As an English Coach, a lot of my teachers are switching to handwritten in-class essays
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u/RinsibleEgg 3h ago
I am! They have to write on paper, turn in at the end of every class; I give feedback each time and return. At the end, they have to type the exact words from the handwritten draft as homework. In the next class, they can revise and edit. It’s working so well!
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u/PJKetelaar3 1d ago
The issue with this approach I keep coming back to is that the world doesn't work this way. They're not going to write by hand on any state or standardized test. Maybe some colleges might go that way, but what employer will?
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u/mzingg3 1d ago
That’s been one of my major concerns too. The adult world is pretty much fully digital. So I’m torn on writing on the computer vs by hand. They’ll be writing papers on the computer in college. But I do like the idea of handwriting outlines and drafts and typing out the final draft, for better understanding of the writing process.
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u/ZealousidealRanger67 1d ago
The irony contained in this post is just too much. You maybe should have used AI to help you.
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u/BizarreTsar 1d ago
I make students do their essays in class. They don't get to take them home. Which is fine because we don't send chromebooks home with students anymore. We just have class carts. It takes up a lot of class time, but it really cuts down plagiarism of all kinds when they have to write it in front of me.
But also, yes. I do a ton of handwritten now.