The Toronto Sun

Compose Yourself

English prof's book teaches students to write great essays without cheating

Jerry Gladman
Toronto Sun

THE PROFESSOR'S SECRETS: Breaking The Silence -- How To Write Essays And Term Papers
By Bernie Gaidosch
Daimon Corp.

"When all else fails -- cheat!"

-- Marketing slogan from movie Slackers

It's somewhat ironic yet fitting that a guy who was teased as a child because of his poor English and accent has come up with a workable solution for a major problem in our high schools, colleges and universities -- cheating.

Cheating and plagiarism among students are at an all-time high -- recent studies show 25% are actively cheating and 75% to 80% have cheated on occasion. And it's done largely through Internet sites that offer complete essays, tests and homework assignments in exchange for money.

Prof. Bernie Gaidosch, an affable English teacher at George Brown College who has been helping students hone their writing skills for 25 years, has penned a book he claims will not only guide struggling students through the writing process, but will have them doing it successfully lickety-split.

"I'm doing what I can to send these kids a life preserver," says Gaidosch, 53, who was born in Austria and learned English as a new arrival in Winnipeg in the '50s by watching TV.

"They're sinking out there and they're so desperate they'll roll the dice. The trap is the majority of their courses are based on writing, yet that's the skill they lack. So they cheat. They reach out for any kind of life preserver. They buy whatever they need in cyberspace."

He's not just exaggerating the situation to help push books.

"This problem gets worse as each decade passes," Gaidosch says. "They're simply not taught properly to write in elementary school, and the problem gets worse the higher they go. Sometimes teachers themselves aren't taught properly, so how can they teach it? There is a flaw in the system."

And that flaw is the reason students don't think they're doing anything wrong when they cheat. They feel it's unfair to be failed for something they haven't been taught.

Gaidosch says the majority of students entering college or university test in the range of Grade 8-10 level writing skills, with some as low as Grade 5 level. Moreover, recent studies show that 70% to 80% of high school students aren't proficient writers. So they try to overcome this weakness by cheating. Unfortunately, that's easier than ever.

"In the old days, they had to find a source," Gaidosch says. "Today it's all there on the Internet. They can be downloading in seconds. I can give you 20 different cheat sites where you can get what you need. It's an industry out there."

But cheating is only half of the game. Not getting caught is the other, and cheaters don't stand a chance in Gaidosch's classes.

"I can catch them easily. First off, I can go to the same Web sites and find the papers they turn in. But with most of them, all I really have to do is give them an in-class essay to write. I get a sample of their writing skills. I ask them to give me the meaning of certain words they use in their essays -- like 'obfuscate.' There are ways to catch them and I do."

Sadly, not all that many teachers are as dedicated. It's just too much work. "A lot are getting away with it," Gaidosch says. "It's a mindset and a behaviour path. And if they're doing it here now, they'll do it in the workplace, where the consequences can be a lot more serious.

"This is a last resort for a lot of these kids. They feel betrayed and, in a way, they have been," Gaidosch continues. "There are always lazy cheats, but most of them are simply backed into a corner because they haven't been taught."

Which is where The Professor's Secrets, a manual written in plain language, comes in. It provides an easy-to-follow format for writing essays -- and not just average essays, but excellent ones.

Gaidosch uses the Fast Track Writing System he developed through years of teaching students who had great ideas but couldn't organize them on paper.

"With this system, I can take a student from a C to a B or a B to an A in a week. If they follow the book, it's that simple. In fact, that's my theory -- keep it simple. No jargon, no long, confusing examples. Other books are far too complicated."

Gaidosch asks students to approach an essay as though it were an answer to a question. He then has them begin the writing process in reverse order, with the conclusion first, then the body, then the introduction.

"If an essay is an answer to a question, then the conclusion must be the destination you are taking the reader to. The danger of starting other sections first is putting the answer in your introduction. Intro, body and conclusion will become different answers if done wrong.

The chapters are arranged in a simple format that begins with a view of writing in everyday terms. "This is a basic approach that lets people use their everyday experiences as a means of building their confidence in the writing process. I think one of the strengths of this book is it always backs up its theory with practical examples."

As well as taking the mystery out of the process, The Professor's Secrets attempts to remove the fear factor. Gaidosch deliberately injects humour to develop a light tone.

And students can trust him to understand their situation -- he once walked in their shoes. Struggling with the English language as an immigrant in the '50s, he taught himself by watching TV and movies and reading comics. "I was aware of TV with I Love Lucy, Tugboat Annie and Gunsmoke and absorbed the language. I turned to comic books and whatever books I could read. I did well in any subject that had reading in it."

And Gaidosch isn't done yet. His next book will be about how to get top marks on tests and exams. "This kind of information never seems to get to the public. There are good, productive ways to succeed in school," he says.

To order the book call toll-free 1-877-439-3999 or visit www.profsecrets.com.

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