At one point in our lives we've all cheated. Some have a higher level of sophistication and some don't. Even the best cheaters get caught sometimes but usually it's the ones that just aren't good at it. I'm not going to live in some rose colored world where I think my students are angels and don't cheat. This is one of the reasons I don't count homework as part of my students' grades. Like I'm going to actually give them points for cheating. Psh...yea right.
On Friday I gave a test to one of my levels. Needless to say they were miserable. I'm not going to go into how the kids don't study, or they have no motivation or they just don't care. I've already made peace with that and I know it's not my fault. At some point the student needs to put forth a little effort. While going over the scan tron portion of the test I noticed there were two IDENTICAL answer sheets. Funny enough one sat right behind the other. I knew right away who I thought was the culprit but nonetheless I questioned both. First I pulled the "good kid" in the hallway and showed him the test. He almost started crying when he told me the other kid (the kid that I suspected) had cheated off him. They had both the same right and wrong answers. I told the good kid to not get worked up, I didn't figure him for a cheater and told him to "play along". Worst case scenario, he'd have to take the test over again and I'd give him the higher grade. I send him back in the classroom and pulled "the evil one" out. This kid is a piece of work, cocky beyond belief and he always has an excuse for everything...of course nothing is ever his fault either. I showed him both of the scantrons and asked him what he thought of the similarities. His face got super read and he got this shit eating grin on his face and said "Ms. N. I have no idea what you are talking about." Seriously. When you're caught you're caught. There is no need to lie directly to my face. I might look young (wink wink) but I wasn't born yesterday. His attitude set me off. I immediately launched into the "First you're going to cheat and then you're going to lie to my face" tirade. He stood there all red faced and laughing and finally admitted he cheated ofF the other kid. Then he had the audacity to ask me if he could retake the test. I made him go in the classroom and I had to subside the anger brewing in me before I took my place in front of the class. He, of course, goes into the class and announces that he got caught cheating on my test which the rest of the savages think is HIGHLY hilarious. So I asked, "Why did you do it?". His answer: "Because Ms. N I don't know this stuff, what else was a supposed to do?"
If looks could kill that child would not be in my classroom tomorrow. This is our future and this is why I'm scared.
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