I got caught cheating. What should I do?

paying3tuitions
Sat, 03 May 2008 22:22:54 +0000

@Anitaw-- Oldfort was picking up on a point I made, and Oldfort did so most professionally. Creating an honest environment is a two-way street. The teacher ALSO made a professional error, although not an ethical error, but it contributed to this OP’s situation by providing temptation. While most other students wouldn’t have imagined violating the teacher’s space to click in on his grade roster, for this student it was a temptation, which I compared to leaving one’s purse (or wallet) out on the teacher’s desk, as an illustrative point.

After 3 pages, I thought OP deserved to also hear an additional idea: that there are contributory events that weaken a person’s resolve. That, too, is a learning for this OP. If he feels tempted by such opportunities, next time he finds himself alone near an open computer with grades on it, he’ll know to immediately exit the room and not stay in place. Some folks, when filling out taxes, bring in an accountant to make sure they stick by the rules, even if they could fill out the forms themselves. People are hardwired differently, and we have to know ourselves to stay honest despite temptations in many other directions.

As a teacher, I initiated that comment, and compared grades to currency, and an open computer with a gradesheet to an open cash register with bills hanging out in front of customers in a vacated store.

Oldfort picked it up as advice given to bankers to button down their desks before walking away from them, which I never knew and found interesting.

This poster didn’t strike me as a student who was blaming anyone except himself. He expressed considerable admiration for his fine teacher, and regrets the breach of trust that he created. I’m saying that the teacher would be an even better teacher to learn not to leave any student alone in front of such a tempting opportunity. If I were that teacher, I wouldn’t only be blaming the student, but would be thinking about how I might revise my habits to be more careful as well.