A Classroom Policy That Works

Why bans fail

A blanket ban is unenforceable and teaches nothing. It also punishes the honest students, who comply, while the tool remains available to everyone else at home.

Write the policy per task, not per course

For each assignment, state which of these applies:

• Not permitted: the point of the task is the process itself.
• Permitted for a named stage: brainstorming, outlining, or checking mechanics.
• Permitted with disclosure: any use, declared in a short note.
• Required: the task is about critique of the output.

Students break vague rules by accident. Named stages remove the ambiguity.

Ask for the trail

A one-paragraph note — what tool, which stage, what changed afterwards — is more informative than a detector and does not accuse anyone falsely. Grade the note as part of the work.

Review it every term

The tools change quickly and so should the policy. Say so out loud to students: this is a document we revise, not a law handed down.