Job Discussion Forums

[tofuman]

I was recently informed that, contrary to previous instructions, I had three finals to be given in a matter of hours. Chinese English teachers were to proctor the exams.

Supposed to start at 8 p.m., I discovered that one class was nearly finished at 7:50. The "proctor" had her nose in a book while in the first or second row a student sat copying the answers onto her test from another piece of paper.

I picked up her exam and asked where the cheat sheet came from. No response.

The next day, I returned to the class and again asked where the cheat sheet came from. The cheating student was very defiant, shouting, "That's my business."

"Ok tough girl," said I. "Let me show you what tough is." I then announced to the class that besides failing the cheater, if the person who provided the cheat sheet did not confess or was not exposed by the end of class that day, the entire group of students in that testing group, about 25 students, would have their scores lowered to 60%.

I left the room and went to another class. At break time, the cheater, with another student in tow, and the class monitor appeared and confessed. The formerly defiant cheater also apologized. There was a decided interest in the fate of the other students. I assured them that their scores would remain unaffected.

The cheat sheet provider, a sweet girl and a good student, was nearly in tears. I will probably deduct ten points from her score but she will still pass.

Nothing like peer pressure to bring about an intended result.

[shuize]

Eh, that's not busting their bottoms.

Busting their bottoms would be to fail the whole class.

Then tell them it's because the original cheater ratted them all out.

[tofuman]

Probably right, Shuize.
But this is not a real school. When students fail, I have to give them another easier test that they are supposed to pass. The system encourages mediocrity in both the teaching staff and the students.

Last term, I refused to give them their marks because the cheating on the make up test was too obvious.

When I told the FAO that the school was totally corrupt and the system flawed, he just laughed. Walking into his smoke filled office he replied, "I don't agree."

If my options were as limited as theirs, I too might lie to myself and others.

[go with the flow]

"The cheat sheet provider, a sweet girl and a good student, was nearly in tears. I will probably deduct ten points from her score but she will still pass.

Nothing like peer pressure to bring about an intended result."

Or perhaps she was pressured to take the fall for another student or to sacrifice herself for the entire class.

[tofuman]

Perhaps the girl with the cheat sheet actually found it on the floor as she initially reported.

[kev7161]

I never take anybody cheating seriously. I never take tears as real tears. I never take apologies from students, because usually it's one of their Chinese teachers who is "making" them apologize - - lord knows they don't do it on their own accord!

Yesterday we were going over workbook assignments in class and a couple of them, naturally, had not done their assignment. I told them to listen as answers were revealed and then write them down in their books. Did they take my advice? No, of course not. Instead they immediately started copying from their neighbor's book - - right in front of me!

So, I went into my little speech of how copying isn't learning and the person letting them copy wasn't doing them any good. I may as well been singing an aria (wait, they may have listened to that!). Next term, I'll have little 'uns and I hope to instill some good student behaviors during my time with them. We'll see.