A teacher's rant....

[mugsy]

Ok, I have had a B.A.D. day! My kids spent the day cleaning my room and preparing for their final tomorrow. The bell rang after 5th period to go to lunch. Two girls stayed after class and told me one of my best girls had stolen copies of my final and was handing it out to other kids. SOOOOO...after I told the girls to tell the kids the tests had better be on my desk when I got back, I marched down to the assistant principal's office to see how she wanted me to handle the situation. Now, keep in mind we had 55 minutes for lunch today rather than the usual 40 minutes...I never got a lunch and was late getting to class because I had 6 kids in her office trying to figure the whole thing out. As of right now, I've heard that one kid has in school suspension tomorrow and may or may not be able to take the test and one is suspended and will take a zero...the culprit is still denying she did anything even though 3 of her friends told the asst. principal that the girl had asked another girl to take the fall because she was already flunking. ALL of them tried to cover for the culprit instead of coming clean and now all of them are suffering consequences. I'm wondering if the culprit will not receive a failing grade (even though she is currently carrying an "A+") for the grading period. The assistant principal was NOT amused and neither was I considering I had to spend 3 hours retyping the test and now have to go in early tomorrow morning to copy the test AGAIN...not to mention the fact that my aide had already made 120 copies (3 pages, back to back) of the original test, wasting all of that paper, when we have a paper shortage.

I cannot figure out WHY they decided to do this. I have given the kids ample opportunities to get the necessary papers for the test. They are even allowed to use the papers on the test! And to top it all off, the questions are directly in order of how the papers should be arranged in their folders (and I went over the order again today). I guess it's the thrill of doing something "bad" and not getting caught. Now, at least 6 of them face some not so nice consequences. ARGH!! I know they're 14, but, dang!

Oh well, that's my rant! Thanks for listening!

[Cinder & Smoke]

I cannot figure out WHY they decided to do this.

Now, at least 6 of them face some not so nice consequences.

Wonder what the "spin" will be when the kids start telling Mom & Dad
the "Kids' Version" of the Tail?

:rolleyes:
/s/ Phred

[lizbud]

I'll bet it turns out that the kids were the victims in all of this. Poor babies. :D They are sooooo misunderstood. :p

[catnapper]

You and my husband should compare notes. He goes over the test question for question the day before the test. He sends them home with the "study sheet" which is basically the test. And what does he get? A whole lot of C's and D's. He's told classes that the test is all true/false with the whole page being T F T F T F T F just to see if they are listening. They're not because only one or two kids out of each class of 30 actually answers T F T F T F T F

Once, out of frustration he gave the kids extra credit. Actually, *I* gave them extra credit because I visited his classroom at lunch one day. The extra credit question was "Name Mr. Xxxx's favorite cat" THAT question they all knew the answer too :rolleyes: So now he tries to give the info to them in terms they can relate to, like friends, family, contemporary famous people. It helps some but others still have zero interest.

[Cataholic]

Clearly, Mugsy, this is entirely YOUR fault. You should not expect your kids to not steal the exam. You should not expect them to 'fess up. Those are traits to be found ONLY in us old'sters. Not these mature, overly responsible, ready for the world teens.

I will personally organize a mass demonstration, to peacefully demonstrate, in front of your school if this poor, misunderstood "yout" of today is punished in any fashion.

Shame on you!

[caseysmom]

Wow if I was a teen reading this if I didn't have an attitude about adults I would be getting one real quick!

[Cataholic]

Wow if I was a teen reading this if I didn't have an attitude about adults I would be getting one real quick!

That is hysterical! Someone posts about a child STEALING the final exam, and passing it around, yet, you find the absuridy in what people (me, I presume) post about it?

LORDIE, beam me up, Scotty!

[caseysmom]

I think the original post is fine but the whole mommy will bail all teens out attitude is really amazing. I wonder if you will take offense to this kind of thing when Jonah is a teen and you are not bailing him out but trying to teach him good life lessons and everyone assumes he is evil and so are you because he is a teen.

Of course I believe stealing is wrong, don't twist what I am saying. The poor misunderstood youth of today comments are really beneath you.

[Karen]

It's amazing, but also not.

I remember back to high school, when people would cheat off my paper for Mrs. K's Biology and Physiology classes. Mrs. K. was no dummy, either. One girl, a lab partner of mine who always panicked at test time, especially pop quiz time, was particularly enterprising. One day we had a pop quiz, and it was simple multiple choice, so the answers were just a column of letters. Mrs. K. realized I was done, so she walked over and picked up my paper. As she continued walking around the room to supervise, she held my answers behind her back and upside down, so Robin followed her around turning her head to read my responses, before dashing back to her seat. I was astounded that she didn't get caught. Mrs. K. caught other cheaters throughout the year, and was never amused. Any cheating resulted in a zero for that quiz or test, which of course wreaked havoc with one's grade. Three girls a year older than I ended up having to do massive extra credit work when their cheating scheme was discovered - they barely passed that term, when they were usually honor roll kids.

[Cataholic]

CM- I can only assume, since I haven't been there yet, that I will treat/raise Jonah the same way I was raised. My parents did not 'bail me out'. Nope. I paid the price, when I was stupid. I might have been punished at school, but, the punishment at home was a whole 'nother matter.

Just like PM said, and I am paraphrasing here, "can't assume all of us will do the same(presumably as you are doing with your kids)when time passes".

I don't believe in fighting my child's battles, nor my friend's, siblings, etc. And, I would not talk trash about my child, or my relative on here, either. I can tell you IF Jonah did some of the things I hear about on here, I wouldn't be broadcasting it. I would be hanging my head in shame. I would be in counseling, with him or without him, not broadcasting it.

For the record, I do not assume all kids (or their parents) are evil. Way too broad of a statment for me. I seem to know alot more 'good' teens than I do the ones I hear about on here. Maybe that is because any bad egg would be on the way fringe of my life than instead of in the middle of it. I have seven siblings. None of us raised to any level of perfection. BUT, I can say, even years later, in retrospect, none of us did the sort of things I hear about on here.

[caseysmom]

I just don't like broad generalizations in regard to any group, I have always felt strongly about that be it minorities, women, pitbulls, whatever..

[IRescue452]

Anything to cheat. I was surprised when a professor at college didn't know about writing answers inside the label on a water bottle. I remember once when I was younger the person next to me was cheating off me, so I wrote in some bogus answers and later asked the teacher if I could retake the test because so and so was cheating off me. I got a retake, the other kid didn't. Sucks to be them.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

I could never be a teacher - wouldn't last a week without throttling one of the little darlings :eek:

[dogzr#1]

For some reason, I'm not surprised. Sounds like something the kids at my school would do, and I don't say that in a way I'm proud of.

However, all through school so far (elementary and middle) I have been labeled the 'smart one' out of my classes. So if there's a test or something, most of the err...not so smart people sit next to me to copy off my answers. The thing I like to do though when I notice someone is cheating of of me, I fill in all the wrong answers and then pretend I'm putting my name on top. My 'cheater' will turn in their paper while I'm filling out my name. Then when they sit I change all the answers to the right ones. Works like a charm! I don't know how many people I've caused to fail an important test.

[Freedom]

Oh my, Dogzr#1, I used to that TOO!!! :D

Hard to imagine honor students involved in this test stealing (first post). It has to be for the thrill, because they surely don't need it to pass. And they best learn thrills come with a price, now.

[Cinder & Smoke]

I could never be a teacher -
wouldn't last a week without throttling one of the little darlings! :eek:

Oh, SO True, so true!! :p

Years ago in Endwell, New York - my Assistant Fire Chief was a part-time school bus driver.
He "worked" 3rd shift at IBM; I worked second shift; and we played firefighters in the daylight.
He recruited me to drive bus with him ... "Just take a trial ride with me."

"OK, Lou, I'll do a ride-along ... but I HATE getting up in the mornings!"

My Bus Drivin/Ridin career lasted ONE Day!
We started out with a 2-Kid *Biff* *bam* *Sock-em-Up* FIGHT on the morning run! :eek:
Louie jammed on the brakes, jumped up, and rattled the windows with a "KNOCK-IT-OFF";
which returned semi-order to the mob in the back. "We" had a chat with the HS Principal.
No Bus for the two combatants for the rest of the week was thought "fair" ... Louie was pleased.

Guess Who was back on the bus that afternoon? :eek:

I told Chief Louie I thought my sanity and sleep were a LOT more important
than a little extra money to chauffeur a few junior mobsters around town.

/s/ Phred

[lizbud]

There was a huge deal made about a cheating scandal involving 2nd yr
dental students here not to long ago. It involved older students who should
have known better, but it still happened. So it's not just grade school or high
school age students who make mistakes like this.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070508/LOCAL18/705080400

[mugsy]

What should have happened to the little darlins that did this is they should have been expelled and started their high school careers at our alternative school...but, alas, they take an "F" on the test and a day off of school. The girl who did it is also a cheerleader...nice role model eh? You should have seen the face of the one girl, that I know of, who still had the test when I announced that the test was a different test! lol It was priceless. I enjoyed that immensely! Yep, I am a vindictive one. Unfortunately, the girls that took zeros only dropped about 4% points to fall from an "A+" to and "A". I cannot tell you how disappointed I am in these kids. I have lost an awful lot of faith in them. I definitely won't trust anymore.

[Catty1]

My mom was a teacher for decades....

I heard (not from her) that there were two good things about being a teacher - July and August! :)

[JazzySteph]

I graduated high school about 3 years ago now, and I know a lot of "good" kids did similar things. I wonder if it may have something to do with looking "cool" or being "accepted". There is a lot of peer pressure around so maybe some of their friends were testing their other friend to see if they had "guts".

Also I wonder if it could have something do with the pressure of schools these days. I know when I was in high school it was pretty much life or death to be a A+ student, be really high in class rank, and get into only the best colleges. Even though they may have a good grade standing sometimes the pressure of their lives in general drive them to make poor decisions.

By all means I don't think any of those are good excuses or anything or they should be let off the hook. Just my observations! :D

[Blue_Frog]

I cannot tell you how disappointed I am in these kids. I have lost an awful lot of faith in them. I definitely won't trust anymore.

I can see how frustrating this would be for you as a teacher - but try not to lose all faith in these kids -- from your first post --


Two girls stayed after class and told me one of my best girls had stolen copies of my final and was handing it out to other kids.
It must have taken some courage on the part of these girls to tell you what had happened in the first place -- think of the situation that this will put them in with the rest of the class if they find out about it. They went out on a limb to do the right thing and should be commended (at least here) about it.

[Whisk_Luva]

At my school my friends and I are labelled the 'boffs'... (we never care, at least we work hard and will probably get a decent job etc) we also have people trying to sit next to us, most of us arent smart, we just work hard, I hate tests but would never dream on doing anything like what those children did! I just revise and revise and revise, other people in my school would deffo cheat. The annoying thing is most teachers dont realise they cheat and you have to tell the teacher..........

What gets into some kids heads?

[mugsy]

I will personally organize a mass demonstration, to peacefully demonstrate, in front of your school if this poor, misunderstood "yout" of today is punished in any fashion.

Shame on you!

Joh, Mike is laughing hysterically at you and said he would be right there for you. He agrees that the youth today is so misunderstood.

As a side note...on the whole, I like my kids...however, there are very, very few that I can say I truly trust.

[Edwina's Secretary]

There was a letter to the editor in the OC newspaper. A high school student lamenting all the hard work required to get good grades. Complaining that it is not enough to be smart...you have to work really hard too! It's not fair!

Maybe it comes from living here in OC...where many high school kids drive BMWs to school. And then there is the column in the newspaper for parents who have questions about schools and their kids. ("My child was suspended for swearing at a teacher and hitting another child. I know my child. He would never do that. The school is picking on him, etc, etc, etc.")

I am the one who made the "mommy bailing out" comment in another post. That post was ABOUT a mommy going to school to bail out her son...who proceeded to verbally abuse the administrator in front of her.

"Broad generalization" is not necessarily a bad thing. For example..."police officers are the good guys. If you are in an emergency, they will help you." Broad generalization? Yes. Are there bad cops? Yes. Sometime you might encounter a bad cop who won't help you? Yes.

The very statement "broad generalizations seems to me to mean "many in this group are this....but not all."

And I know many teachers (and ex-teachers) who would agree with the broad generalizations expressed here.

So I am offended by those who are offended by broad generalizations.

So there..... :D :rolleyes: ;) :D

[Lady's Human]

Frankly, Sara, I'm offended that you are offended. :p

[caseysmom]

Frankly, Sara, I'm offended that you are offended. :p

I find it offensive that you are both in agreement to be offended :D

[Sevaede]

I find it offensive that you are both in agreement to be offended :D

Oh yeah?! Well, I'm offended that anyone is offended over anything deemed offensive.:D :mad: :p ;) :D

That kind of shocks me and then it doesn't.

My dad would have strung me up by my toes had I done anything of the sort. Thankfully, I was one of the quiet kids who did their work and enjoyed school. :)

[Edwina's Secretary]

So much offended and offensiveness....and here we are trying to claim maturity! :D :rolleyes: :p ;) :D

[Barbara]

My dad would have strung me up by my toes had I done anything of the sort. Thankfully, I was one of the quiet kids who did their work and enjoyed school. :)

My dad too.
Thankfully I never was one of the quiet kids who did their work and enjoyed school.

Sorry that is totally off topic.

[ratdogg]

I find it offensive that you are both in agreement to be offended :D

hahha, thats funny. I always post in the dog house with attitude and opinions but I do it in good fun. I'm usually not serious when I bash adults or teens or teachers (still traumatized from my own HS experiences). I really thought people were just being facicious (spelling?) at first. Then I was suprised when people started actually being offended :)

[lbaker]

I'm offended and offensive and I'm in Indiana. So what. When does the bar open? :confused:

[Pawsitive Thinking]

So much offended and offensiveness....and here we are trying to claim maturity! :D :rolleyes: :p ;) :D


Mature??? I've never been so offended :eek: :o ;)

[Cataholic]

I'm offended and offensive and I'm in Indiana. So what. When does the bar open? :confused:

WHAT are you doing in Indiana? Where? How long?

[lizbud]

WHAT are you doing in Indiana? Where? How long?


Laurie came just to visit me. :D We had a wonderful visit yesterday.

j/k She came on a business trip & is a busy little bee at the convention
center. :)

[Killearn Kitties]

Laurie came just to visit me. :D We had a wonderful visit yesterday.
PHOTOS????

[lizbud]

Sorry, no pictures. We talked & ate to much to take any. :) Unless she
snuck one in when I wasn'r looking.

[Killearn Kitties]

*heavy sigh*

Now that is just not fulfilling your duty to Pet Talk. :p

[Edwina's Secretary]

I'm offended and offensive and I'm in Indiana. So what. When does the bar open? :confused:

As a born Hoosier...I am offended that you are offended being in Indiana (Hi to the family!)

But then again.....as I have been defined as "not a real woman" Should I be offended? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Lady's Human]

It depends, who's doing the defining?

[Edwina's Secretary]

It depends, who's doing the defining?

Right you are! I should just consider the source..... :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Killearn Kitties]

The source is not what I'd call reliable.

[lbaker]

If "the source" is who I think it is then Offended and Offensive should go without saying ;) *said the pot while speaking to the kettle* :D Ah HAH! Just read who the guilty party is that alluded to that Sara, no worries "mate" consider the source indeed ;) Silly down under dingBAT :D Rather clever at times though eh?

[Cataholic]

Who is getting outsourced? :D

[Edwina's Secretary]

Who is getting outsourced? :D

I only wish. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Cincy'sMom]

Not to take this back to the original topic and ruin all the offendedness....

I remember two similar situations while I was in school. The first was my senior year of high school in Calculus. The teacher choose (not very wisely) to use the same test she had 2 years prior. Since we went to a very small school some of my classmates were good friends with classes of the past had tests to study from, with the correct answers. Since it was an open note test, people could copy right from the answers! When some of us who generally did very well got B and C's on the test, and those who generally struggled more got perfect grades, what had happened was obvious. No one got in trouble since it was her fault for using the exact same test, but everyone had to take a second test and I think the 2 grades were averaged. Evened things out real quick!


The other incident was my freshman year of college, in a huge lecture for Fortran programing. We had this poor naive teacher from another country, who was not real wise to the ways of American teenagers. As the huge piles of tests were being handed out, Some of the guys from my dorm grabbed handfulls and stuffed them in their backpacks. Since there weren't nearly enough tests to go around, the test had to be postponed until the next class period. Yes, the prof was wise enough to change the questions, (although I'm sure it took a lot of some poor grad students time, not the prof's), it still was rude and put a large number of students at a big disadvantage.

[sparks19]

What a mature conversation this has turned into lol.

"So and so said this about me" " so and so is a poopy head" When will the my dad can beat up your dad start :D

I guess maturity is in the eyes of the beholder... or is that beerholder?

As for kids these days.... I really suspect they aren't THAT much different than kids were back in "your" day..... I think it's just more that time has blurred our vision (yes even mine) of ourselves and people around us from "your" time. I suspect kids cheated back in "your" day as well.... and I suspect kids stole back in "your" day as well.... and I bet you were little buggers just like kids today can be.... but time has a way of blocking out those memories

[cyber-sibes]

I could never be a teacher - wouldn't last a week without throttling one of the little darlings :eek:You 'n me both! I taught as a substitute teacher to 5th & 6th graders for half a year....and wondered why anyone in their right mind would or could do this for a living - YIKES!!! i don't think I've gotten so angry or frustrated with anyone for years, as I did with one class in particular! A little scarey, cause even though they were 6th graders, a lot of them were bigger than I am! (ok, so I'm vertically challenged). I salute those of you who keep at it. I would have ended up in jail.

My hubby teaches college, and he's tried everything to make tests easier - study sessions, q&a right before the tests, open books, bring your notes, take-home tests, copied problems right from the book....and STILL he finds kids cheating.

Much of what happens to cheating students depends on the school. At one university, the kids could whine & complain to Mommy & Daddy & claim "victim", and get off with nothing, not even a lower grade. Where he is now, they get reported & have fairly hefty consequences. Of course, he's at a military academy now, and "discipline" actually means something.