Cheating
Workday - 8:30am-4:30pm
Hm. Today turned into a full workday, somehow. I was expecting something shorter and easier.
We had departmental meetings in the afternoon. It was my first experience as a true "math teacher". Before the meeting I went to pick up all the info I needed for this careers course. This afternoon confirmed all of my fears about the new semester: I'm going to hate teaching these courses.
I spent the morning in semester 1 classes, doing almost nothing. I gave students their final marks and handed back any old assignments and tests left in my files. Two students found their grades a little lower than expected. Both had received zeros on one of the written exams, because they were exactly the same. Their wrong answers had all the same guesses, including one where they both crossed out their first (same) instinct, and replaced it with a second (also the same).
One student's excuse was that she was sitting too far away from the other to have cheated. Even if that were the case, it's really not the problem at hand. However, they were about as close together as any two people were sitting during this exam (plus they were facing each other). I told her, if she did not cheat then she should take her case to the next level of authority. In fact, I encouraged her to discuss it with them. I really want students to take some responsibility for their lives and education. This mark is an important matter and they should want to take the upper hand in its resolution. After all, if they didn't cheat, I'd expect nothing less than raised hell.
I was accused of cheating on an assignment once in university. I had not cheated, but I could see how it looked bad. The professor didn't even give me a zero, but a "shared mark" with the other student. He was already far too lenient about it! Anyway, all I had to do was tell him what we had done (which was not share work, by any means) and he happily changed our marks. If these students did not cheat and had an explanation to clear the matter, I would more than happily give them back the marks. I want all my students to do well. I get no joy out of "punishing" them for cheating. Just as they get no education out of not doing work for themselves.
One of my colleagues took a look at both exams and agreed that they had definitely cheated. He also talked to both students to say they didn't have a very good chance of winning. I didn't want to talk them out of fighting it, myself. I wanted them to see the process (and become better acquainted with school policy). It's all a good learning experience.
In the end, I don't think they're going to pursue it. Funnily enough, they probably would have had no idea that they could fight this if I didn't tell them. The point is, I wanted them to know that. I want students to know their options, that nothing is ever "final", and you always have choices in life. Everything about that exam was filled with choices they made. I don't mean to sound horribly cheesy, but understanding you're in the driver's seat of your own life should be learned early.
As a teacher, I think it's one of the most important lessons I can give.
Hm. Today turned into a full workday, somehow. I was expecting something shorter and easier.
We had departmental meetings in the afternoon. It was my first experience as a true "math teacher". Before the meeting I went to pick up all the info I needed for this careers course. This afternoon confirmed all of my fears about the new semester: I'm going to hate teaching these courses.
I spent the morning in semester 1 classes, doing almost nothing. I gave students their final marks and handed back any old assignments and tests left in my files. Two students found their grades a little lower than expected. Both had received zeros on one of the written exams, because they were exactly the same. Their wrong answers had all the same guesses, including one where they both crossed out their first (same) instinct, and replaced it with a second (also the same).
One student's excuse was that she was sitting too far away from the other to have cheated. Even if that were the case, it's really not the problem at hand. However, they were about as close together as any two people were sitting during this exam (plus they were facing each other). I told her, if she did not cheat then she should take her case to the next level of authority. In fact, I encouraged her to discuss it with them. I really want students to take some responsibility for their lives and education. This mark is an important matter and they should want to take the upper hand in its resolution. After all, if they didn't cheat, I'd expect nothing less than raised hell.
I was accused of cheating on an assignment once in university. I had not cheated, but I could see how it looked bad. The professor didn't even give me a zero, but a "shared mark" with the other student. He was already far too lenient about it! Anyway, all I had to do was tell him what we had done (which was not share work, by any means) and he happily changed our marks. If these students did not cheat and had an explanation to clear the matter, I would more than happily give them back the marks. I want all my students to do well. I get no joy out of "punishing" them for cheating. Just as they get no education out of not doing work for themselves.
One of my colleagues took a look at both exams and agreed that they had definitely cheated. He also talked to both students to say they didn't have a very good chance of winning. I didn't want to talk them out of fighting it, myself. I wanted them to see the process (and become better acquainted with school policy). It's all a good learning experience.
In the end, I don't think they're going to pursue it. Funnily enough, they probably would have had no idea that they could fight this if I didn't tell them. The point is, I wanted them to know that. I want students to know their options, that nothing is ever "final", and you always have choices in life. Everything about that exam was filled with choices they made. I don't mean to sound horribly cheesy, but understanding you're in the driver's seat of your own life should be learned early.
As a teacher, I think it's one of the most important lessons I can give.
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