Notes on cheating

(First, holy crap, it's been almost 2 months since I've last written!! Second, I can't believe 3rd quarter is almost over...)

So today at the start of the first class of the day, I look in my classroom to see one girl frantically copying the homework from another student. I called out her first and last name very loudly. She looked up, a deer in headlights. When I pretended to look away (and then look back), she continued copying! I asked another teacher (we were in the hallway, welcoming our classes) what he does if he catches students copying.

"I crumple it up, throw it away, read the student the riot act, then give him or her a zero."

Interesting. So I walked up to my student and whispered, very calmly, "My dear, what you're doing is considered cheating."

She looked at me, and we were both uncertain of how it was gonna play out.

"Open to the front of your agenda, where you have the Student Handbook. Find the section about cheating." I let her sweat for a while.

We then had to start District-mandated benchmark tests to mimic the assessment the State gives in the spring. While monitoring the class, I noticed the offender writing a list. In part, it read:

NOTES:
1.) If you're ever cheating, make sure the teacher doesn't see you.
2.) [I couldn't read it in my quick walk-bys.]
3.) The teacher will get mean.

P.S. It's not that bad.

--

The "It's not that bad" part got to me. So here's a moment where a student could decide it's OK to cheat. I decided not to let that happen, so I immediately wrote an office referral. I gave it to the offender after I had filled it out, and her face grew pale. Mission accomplished.

I've not yet heard back from the office, so we'll see what punisment they have for her...