Pass or fail?

Question

If you were a teacher and one of your students made a grade of 100%, but deep down you knew that student wasn't capable of making a grade like that...but you have no proof of them cheating...your just going on instinct. Anyway this grade was a factor in letting them pass or fail what would you do?

Answer 1

I would ask the student if he/she worked alone, or if any assistance was provided. Explain that the work quality was abnormally beyond the realm of previous work, and that you suspect that the work was not original. State your opinion without anger or emotion. If the student claims the work as his/her original efforts, accept it as such, but let him/her know that you are disappointed.

Answer 2

I see two ways to go about it ...

1) May be unfair and a big judgmental, but call student in. "I was impressed with your paper/test. Tell me more about what you think you learned from studying so hard." Maybe you could ask a few additional questions about the topic to assess whether you think this person really knows anything. Also, ask the student if he or she has been working with a tutor or taking study skills classes. Have they made any subsequent lousy grades?

2) I would assign the entire class an in-class project/paper so that cheating could not take place and add that as additional grade. That way you will have a different decision maker.

Just where are you in the scheme of schooling? Is this a math subject where the kid has to learn topic X to be able to understand topic Y? Is this an athlete? Graduating senior? So much can come into play here. Also, your school should have a policy on this. You cannot flunk someone on "instinct" so the extra grade event seems the way to go.

I've got to say that my daughter went from being a B/C student as a high school freshman to being an "A" student almost overnight. She finally learned how to study for tests and how to organize papers. It all clicked in. So this could be a genuine turnaround - hope you can find a way to test it.

Answer 3

I am a teacher. If I had a student who I truley felt had cheated I would ask them to retake the test, make a similar test with different answers and jumble the order of the questions. I would not make the test any harder or easier. If the student gets an A, perhaps not a 100% but an A, I would appologise and give them the 100% from the first test. If they got a poor grade I would give them a 0% and report them for cheating. I would certainly ask them frankly though if they had cheated. One other thing I have done was to take the hardest 2 questions from the test and rewrite them with different numbers and have them retake the 2 questions. If they aced them then 100 is theirs, if not I would give them a -0- and report them to administration for cheating.

Answer 4

If you have no proof you have to give him the benefit of the doubt. However, I would still investigate. Did any other students get 100% you aren't sure of? Is it possible someone got a copy of your exam? If it was a paper or essay that gave him the 100% there are plenty of plagiarism websites that can catch him. Does this suspect student do well in other classes besides yours? He could have a greater mind then you are aware of and you could have have just be witnessed to it or he could be cheating. But the fact remains is that your currently have no proof. Until you find it he is innocent until proven otherwise.

Answer 5

It depends on the student. If I see that he/she failed everything before that then got a 100 on something I would confront him and ask him whether or not he cheated. Also I would have been keeping an eye on the students as they took the test...

Answer 6

if there is no proof otherwise he passes. Congratulate the student . ya never know he may have studied. its just school, i dont think it will be a matter of national security.

Answer 7

I will accept him as an average student un respect to others as i am the one who teachs to him.I don't bothers about others feelings about the student as well on myself.