Comments on Señorita in the City: A teacher's blog: Catching a cheater

Mr. W, I also tell my colleagues, and after some ...

2010-02-18T12:24:50.108-05:00

Mr. W,

I also tell my colleagues, and after some time it seems that it's the usual suspects time and again.

I'm looking forward to the time when word has gotten out about my cheating policy and there are fewer to deal with. There aren't that many now...but still, like you said, I also take it personally.

I have done both ways. I let them retake it once ...

2010-02-18T01:19:09.807-05:00

I have done both ways. I let them retake it once and let them keep their new grades and I have also just flat given zeros and said too bad.

I take cheating personally and they know it. i have no problem telling all on my colleagues who they are and that they are cheaters. It might seem harsh, but since I have been more open about what I do cheating on tests has gone down. Not totally gone, but less each year.

I had them each retake the test like you did There...

2010-02-14T17:00:43.515-05:00

I had them each retake the test like you did Theresa, and it did become clear who was cheating off of whom.

It's impossible now to tell if she was allowed to cheat off of the other girl's paper. She'll be getting a zero, and be watched closely.

I love your idea NYC Educator for giving them each half the grade. I'm going to do that next time.

I would perhaps speak to the kids, figure out the ...

2010-02-11T21:30:46.017-05:00

I would perhaps speak to the kids, figure out the grade, and offer half each for the collaborative effort. The cheater will likely fess up. I would not give the cheater a second chance in any case. I would contact the parents and tell them a recurrence would necessitate a mandatory school visit. I would express concern about their busy schedules and how inconvenient that would be, and hope aloud that it wouldn't prove necessary.

I would not bother my AP or anyone. I would handle it myself and implicitly let every kid in the class know that such behavior would incur my wrath, a viable entity they should avoid at all costs.

When I was an assistant, I had that problem when I...

2010-02-11T17:08:28.113-05:00

When I was an assistant, I had that problem when I gave the test to my Social Studies class. I spoke with the lead teacher and the assistant principal. We decided to let each of them take it again, separately. It became pretty clear who copied off of whom. The cheater was watched more closely during tests for the rest of the year.