Cheater

Many of you know I'm a teacher. Today we had a test. The student's knew what time we had the test. I said ahead of time, "Make sure your desks are cleared off for the test."

Some of the students are still messy.

I walk around, and look for notes, and review sheets to show up as signs that they are cheating.

Next semester is much easier, they will not take a paper test. We give the test over the network. The program we use randomizes the questions, blocks them from seeing their desktop, or any other program, so it would be very hard to cheat. They don't get computers until next semester.

I was walking around, and noticed someone taking the test was talking to someone that was finished. I was 1/2 joking and said, "Hey _______ what are you doing? Cheating?" 

He nervously grabbed his review sheet out from under his test, and said, "Ummm...I don't know how this got here." 

He then said, "Well you knew I had all these papers on my desk."

He put it away. I let him finish the test.

When he was done I said knowing that he does really bad on exams, "You have 2 choices: I grade that test, and take off a ton of points, or you go take the test in a different room?"

He opted to take the test in a different room.

Then I wrote him up, had him sign that what he did was wrong.

At this school if you get 2 write ups for something like that, you get kicked out for a period of time. First defense down.

What annoys me more than the cheating it's self is that he tried to play it off as it was my fault for knowing he had papers on his desk. Bullshi*! Take ownership of your mess up!

Another thing that really annoys me is that this is the student's area of study. Why would someone cheat on something that is their interest? 

It happens once, or more a year, so I'm not really surprised. I just have to shake my head every time it does happen.