Pam In China

The title of this post is where I learned one of the most important lessons of my life and Mr. Seward didn't know a thing about it. When he gave our midterm exam, I'd traveled with my family to visit my grandmother in another state. Upon returning to school on Monday, I was ordered to report to the library and he would give me a copy of the make up test. There were two parts to the exam and one was open book. He instructed me to use the book for one part and to NOT use the book for the other part. Then, he left me on my own!!!

I cheated and used the book for all of the test. I made a C-. Upon getting the results of that exam, I made myself a promise "never to cheat again". It just wasn't worth it!!!

I never cheated again. I had the opportunity once while attending the university. I'd finished the exam and was rereading, when I looked up and the girl sitting in front of me, propped her knees on a stool. This brought her test paper to my exact eye level. I glanced. Oh no!!!! I had the second question wrong. I couldn't believe it.

A little voice told me to leave my paper exactly the way it was; this was my true score. Another much louder voice was shouting at me to change it, change it, change it.

Immediately, I was taken back to Mr. Seward's 8th grade class and I remembered my promise to myself. I didn't change my answer, and went quickly to the front and turned in my paper, went to my car and high-tailed it out of there.

I'm hoping three of my students will learn this same lesson. Today, they cheated on the exam. Two were looking at the test of others and one girl had a copy of the notes under her test paper.

Interesting, when I took the last girl's exam paper and told her she could be dismissed, she informed me she didn't do anything wrong. She even tried to come back in the classroom three times and get me to change my mind. She said she wasn't cheating and then she went off in Chinese. I dismissed her again and she must have gotten the message because she didn't return.

The final exam is basically 30 percent of the final grade, so I think she will still pass the course. I hope so!!!

The twist on this post is the fact that I am evaluated by the students. They can tell their leaders they don't like me because I'm too strict, or watch them during an exam, etc. I could get "let go", for trying to help them learn right from wrong.

Uhmmmm!!!!! I think before tomorrow's exam I'll tell the story about Mr. Seward's 8th grade midterm history exam and hopefully that will do the trick!