Cheating as defined here is about copying another’s work from a test or other student work. It includes plagiarism on essays or similar projects. Cheating is not uniquely wrong, but one of many behavioral issues teachers must face.
Cheating in Elementary School Should be Managed Differently
Teachers of the very young should spend class time discussing rules and consequences — character education has a place in the elementary curriculum. Student backgrounds and family dynamics will yield varying degrees of honest behavior, and school may offer unique exposure to societal norms and expectations for students.
Implying that cheating is somehow uniquely “bad” is probably not justified, as there are many behaviors that can grow into crimes with consequences in the adult world that are worse than cheating. Cruel or aggressive children may become dangerous adults, for example.
Also, children can readily understand that aggression causes fear and pain — the consequences of cheating are ethical matters requiring the development of a moral compass.
Remembering that some dishonest behavior is normal for young children is important. Remembering that dishonest behavior is common among adults helps teachers understand that the temptation to cheat is insidious.
Explaining that cheating belongs to a class of behaviors known generally as dishonesty may help children understand. There are numbers of stories and books that draw on dishonesty as a theme. Such literature can offer a good foundation for character lessons.
Why Children Cheat
All behavior has meaning and cause. The simplest acts of cheating result from not having internalized the difference between right and wrong. Preschoolers often cheat at simple games not really understanding that their behavior is unethical — they simply prefer winning to losing. The disapproval of older adults sends a message that it is wrong, but not all children receive equally firm messages. Some parents may over-react and be harsh.
In most homes cheating and dishonesty in general acquire increasingly significance as children grow. Still, deceitful behavior is not viewed with equal importance in all homes. Some parents may talk openly of unethical acts that they committed to put food on the table or to exact revenge for something they felt was unjust.
School places new responsibilities on children that can encourage cheating. Over-emphasis on grades and standardized tests can cause students to believe that their worthiness as people is determined by scores and percentiles. Indeed, standardized tests have taken on such importance that administrators and teachers have been guilty of assisting students by giving or changing answers.
Schools often spend days preparing students for standardized testing — posters appear on walls, notices are sent to parents, teachers offer practice assessments, etc. These procedures make students a part of the success — or failure — of an effort perceived as much more than a simple test.
Cheating is endemic in society. Children hear adults at sporting events accuse players and referees of cheating, and professional athletes themselves have been frequent models of dishonest behavior. Perhaps the wonder is that there are honest children in our schools.
Some agencies and individuals blame the increasing emphasis on testing that came with the No Child Left Behind Act. Surveys show an increase in cheating since implementation of NCLB, but placing blame on it alone is naive.
Consequences for Cheating in Young Children
Cheating in high school and collage may bring predictable and perhaps justifiable results — a zero on the assignment or failure of an entire course. However, any consequence should be evaluated by its success in reducing cheating, and cheating seems to be increasing at all levels of education.
As a society, the United States has been raising the ante for good grades for many decades, and cheating has been viewed simplistically and traditionally by punishing bad behavior. But people are not born with a complete sense of responsibility. It is acquired. As children grow to adults, good parenting calls for an expectation that children will act like children and exhibit some irresponsible behavior.
Good teaching requires similar expectations. Discipline, rather than punishment, is the best approach. Discipline implies intervention in a manner that teaches, while punishment is merely doing bad things to someone when they do bad things. It’s a form of revenge.
Well-conceived character education programs such as The Six Pillars of Character suggested by Character Counts serve to place development of many virtues without over-emphasizing one.
Before adopting a policy of an automatic zero for cheating, consider the disastrous effects of zeros on grades. Also, teachers should consider that students are in school to be educated and automatic consequences deprive students of the primary purpose of schools.
A better approach might require students to take another version of the test while being closely watched after school. A parent conference is also appropriate.
Specific Recommendations to Help Teachers Manage Cheating
For college students, some studies suggest that a simple honor code tends to deter cheating somewhat. The use of honor codes as reminders might be worth trying. Keep codes simple and have students voluntarily write the code on each test and sign it.
Other suggestions to discourage cheating include:
- Don’t preach — discuss;
- Be a model of honest, caring behavior;
- Don’t accuse — especially in front of the entire class; take the matter up with the student and have solid evidence;
- Monitor tests carefully;
- Require cover-sheets and a clear desk;
- Arrange seats as practically as possible;
- Occasionally give alternate versions of tests so that copying brings about its own consequences
- Become somewhat familiar with Internet sites where students might go to plagiarize on the Internet;
- Do not allow "cheat sheets" or other testing methods that might trivialize cheating.
If a student is caught cheating on a test apply a disciplinary approach. Require a retake at an inconvenient time and notify parents; don’t simply give a zero and deny the primary cause of school — education.
Cheating is widespread in schools. Prevention is preferable to correction and teachers should use some class time to discuss honesty and character development generally. Use a disciplinary approach to educate and require students to be assessed at another time. Involve all students in character education.
Sources:
- “Why do Students Cheat?” school-for-champions.com, “Accessed: July 10, 2011”
- Davis, Stephen F, Drinan, Patrick F, Gallant,Tricia Bertram. Cheating in School: what we know and what we can do. Hoboken: John Wiley and Sons, 2009.
Harvey Craft - I am a retired educator with diverse experience. I read anything science, education, and history. I write to share what I learn.
