My DS teacher called me after school today and said he cheated. She gave an open notes quiz and she said he didn't take notes so he didn't have them for the test which he passed. She said he couldn't have passed it without notes. This was over a power point from Friday and today. He said he took the notes Friday but not today. She has his notebook so I can't check it. She said he cheated off the girl next to him. She said that the only questions he got wrong was the one she got wrong(also the same questions a lot of them got wrong). What she doesn't know is that the girl is his cousin. The last person he would cheat from if he wanted a good grade and they don't get along. His cousin said he couldn't even see her paper. She gave him a zero and called me.
On the phone I told her I'm glad she called me and would talk to him when I picked him up. I also said that my DS isn't worried about getting a bad grade enough to cheat. I don't believe my kid is perfect or can do no wrong but this doesn't sound right. She didn't see anything wrong during testing and is saying he is cheating because there is no way he could pass a test without notes and having the same question wrong(both kids say they got it wrong but with different answers). Is that enough to accuse him of cheating, talking to principle and giving him a zero?
I can understand giving him a bad grade in his notebook for not taking notes and I'm going to be all over him with that now. I don't know where to go from here. I feel like talking to her anymore could make it worse for him. I just feel like a step or two was missing here. Could she have given him another test with different question? Ask him oral questions?(he wanted her to do this) I have no idea since I have no experience with this.
Sorry this is getting so long. DH wants me to have him pulled out of her class but DS doesn't want that. He wants to prove her wrong. He said he will ask to be moved next to her or in a corner when taking test. He is so pissed off. He stood up for himself and from what I heard he was respectful. Teachers have never complained about him being disrespectful.
Wow, Alicia. I am not sure how I would handle this. I was not an upper level teacher, and that is like a whole other world from elementary school. But it seems presumptuous to say no one could pass it without the notes. IDK. I mean, the quiz was based on information presented yesterday and today, right? So today's info would be fresh in his mind, regardless of the notes. Is it not possible for a kid to get things right based on memory?
I think that the way the teacher handled it was pretty harsh, especially so early in the school year-I assume he has not had this teacher before?
I would call and set up a conference about it, with the principal since she brought them into it as well, explain things from yours and your son's perspective and go from there. Is this a teacher with a reputation for being hard on the students? Was her assumption about the kids passing the test reasonable, based on what you saw? I can see handing out some sort of punishment for not taking the notes, but this goes way beyond that.
Before I respond, what subject and material are we talking about? Is it something he is good at or has a huge interest in? Do you think he would fess up if he had cheated (I am guessing he would or you would know he was lying).
Wow, Alicia. I am not sure how I would handle this. I was not an upper level teacher, and that is like a whole other world from elementary school. But it seems presumptuous to say no one could pass it without the notes. IDK. I mean, the quiz was based on information presented yesterday and today, right? So today's info would be fresh in his mind, regardless of the notes. Is it not possible for a kid to get things right based on memory?
I think that the way the teacher handled it was pretty harsh, especially so early in the school year-I assume he has not had this teacher before?
I would call and set up a conference about it, with the principal since she brought them into it as well, explain things from yours and your son's perspective and go from there. Is this a teacher with a reputation for being hard on the students? Was her assumption about the kids passing the test reasonable, based on what you saw? I can see handing out some sort of punishment for not taking the notes, but this goes way beyond that.
Never had her before. She's been called a dictator and not by a student. I actually like how she runs her class. You know exactly what she expects. I expected to be on him for his notebook in class but never expected to be excused of cheating for lack of notes.
In red is why I have a problem with this. She has no idea how he learns and retains info.
Before I respond, what subject and material are we talking about? Is it something he is good at or has a huge interest in? Do you think he would fess up if he had cheated (I am guessing he would or you would know he was lying).
History which is one of his favorite subjects but he hasn't liked how it has been presented in high school. I think he would fess up but I think it is more likely for him to just fail the test instead of cheating. We're only 3 weeks in but he has a 94% in that class so I'm not worried about the zero. I don't want a teacher thinking he cheated when he didn't.
Before I respond, what subject and material are we talking about? Is it something he is good at or has a huge interest in? Do you think he would fess up if he had cheated (I am guessing he would or you would know he was lying).
History which is one of his favorite subjects but he hasn't liked how it has been presented in high school. I think he would fess up but I think it is more likely for him to just fail the test instead of cheating. We're only 3 weeks in but he has a 94% in that class so I'm not worried about the zero. I don't want a teacher thinking he cheated when he didn't.
Well, then it makes sense that he would know the material. I don't know for sure, but from things you have mentioned I am guessing he is the kind of kid that would be finding out and reading up on history for fun. So it is possible that he knew this stuff before he took the class. I think I would go in and have a talk with the teacher and if you don't feel comfortable after talking with her, go to the principal. Just try to approach her with more honey than vinegar.
I don't really have anything to add as far as how to handle it. But I wanted to say regardless of whether or not it will affect his grade, I think you should definitely fight it (not *fight* but ykwim) because if he didn't cheat, he doesn't deserve to get that zero, nor does he deserve to have that stigma with him.
you mentioned that he only got wrong the same questions as she did and as well as the rest of the class. I would request to see the quiz. If majority of the class had the same wrong answer on an open note quiz then maybe that says something in itself.
If these two are the only two that have the identical quiz answers then I may wonder a bit too as a teacher. However, I would really ask about all the quizes in the class.
If she is just hung up on the fact he could not get answers right without his notes then that is a issue. I would talk to her, but it could end up being a negative for him. This is early in the year for her to already have a target on him.
I think his idea of proving her wrong is the better one. In a situation like this there is no proof and hard to really fight. The only way I can see you getting anywhere with it is if in fact the majority of the class also had the same answers wrong. I say he shows her his ability and proves to her that he knows the material.
It is kind of sad if he did not cheat and she is squashing a kids interest or will now grade him with this in mind. I would tell him to keep good records from this class so that if anything else comes up you can have something to go on.
I will ask to see my DS and niece's quiz. Not sure if I'm allowed to see other kids work or not. I can ask how many got that question wrong. I'm also asking that he be moved away from other students during quiz/test. I have a had time believing she won't always see him as a cheater(if he did it or not).
