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Wednesday, November 30, 2005 

Day 69: Looking for weapons of mass destruction (or simply for cheaters)

Since discovering that I could put the girls to work correcting quizzes in class (see how I discovered this trick of trade here), I have not thought much about those who may try to cheat during the actual correction. I ask that they use a green pen, sign their name on their classmate's copy (so I know who did the correcting) and I of course go through them myself (most of the time just to take down the grade to include in the computer - not to redo the correction!).

This morning however, after Christine woke me up at 4:40AM (she's been getting up at EXACTLY that time for a week now - not 4:42 or 4:38, but really 4:40)I decided she would play next to me while I attacked a pile of quizzes corrected in class.

The first copy I looked at was very suspicious - the handwriting was not consistent and it appeared that the person doing the correction had penned in the right answer for her buddy (using blue ink - not the green).

Anyhow, drama unfolded this morning in that class, as I accused the girls of cheating and the whole class came over to look at the handwriting discrepancy. Everyone had an opinion - in the end, they convinced me that they had not cheated.

I think everyone will be a little nervous now in that class when it comes to correcting the quizzes - myself included.

Cheating is wrong - and yet we've all done it at some point. Especially in high school. I try to keep in mind that these girls are just that - normal human beings in grade 9. And I now watch carefully (or at least more carefully) when they write tests because other teachers told me not to trust them. And not trusting them is hard for me because I believe they all have the potential to be very good in my subjects.

I suppose I haven't become a REAL teacher yet.

Sometimes I wonder if it will happen before the end of the year...

111 days to go...

I don't have any advice, as my kids are 2nd and 3rd graders and "cheating" is looking at some one else's paper during the test.

I do remember in my 9th grade "World" history class many of the kids cheated when we corrected our own tests. I didn't, but I am a goody-goody. I should have, I got a C in the class.

When we edit our writing they have to do away with their pencils. When they move on to pens, the can't use pencils any more. I use color to track corrections.

Good luck!

I have mixed feelings about having students mark papers. I do it, but I do it sparingly. I guess I just don't want to have to put up with what you've encountered.

I did have an interesting one today. One of my male students handed in a homework that had feminine-looking handwriting. He's going to do an essay tomorrow; I'm going to compare the two papers tomorrow afternoon.

I may have the same kind of drama on Friday that you just encountered. Stay tuned.

I have a cheating story. (the old days)

When I was a 9th greater and in enviro science I sat next to a girl that was pretty bright. I was the 'new' kid. Well, I tested out just as well as she did and we had exact answers and scores.

He corrected the papers. When he announced the scores, the teacher looked at me suspiciously!

I didn't cheat I was just as smart as she was, but I felt guilty for nothing. My testing after that was always guarded(my hand on my face) so he wouldn't think I was looking at her paper.

Colored pens is a good idea! Fix em!

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  • I'm Lolita
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  • Challenges... don't we all love a good challenge? University, married life, a mortgage, kids, keeping my sanity while we cruise through life at 100 MPH... why not try my hand at teaching for a year. After all, a school year is only 180 days - anyone should be able to survive 180 days, right? Well, I'm about to find out - follow my journey and enjoy my trials and tribulations as I embark in this 180 day rollercoaster ride of teenage hormones and drama, spiked with discipline, homework, exams and surprises I'm sure...
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