Well, let's talk about any form of cheating. This semester two
members of a community cheated. How? Well, when I have the students form
their communities on the first day of class, I give them three rules: (1)
all members of the community must be strangers. That is, no room mates,
bed mates, fraternity brothers, sorority sisters, home town friends,
fiances, etc; (2) the community must be gender mixed---as long as the
class ratios hold; and (3) the community must be racially mixed--as long
as the make-up of the class allows. In this community, I discover on the
last day of class, two members were room mates from last semester. What
to do when confronted: (1) let it pass as a youthful indiscretion; (2)
fail them; (3) lower their grade; (4)give them an incomplete and make
them take the class over. When confronted, they threw themselves on my
mercy with a host of confessions, apologies, tears, and what would happen
to them when their parents found out. What to do to impress them the most
that there are consequences, meaningful consequences, for this form of
cheating. I literally stayed up the night wrestling with this issue.
Given the fact that I had come to know both students, I decided both #1
and #2 were too extreme. I felt #3 wasn't sufficient for a lasting
impression. I opted for the 4th choice.
Let me take this opportunity to personally wish each and every one
of you, whom I consider virtual colleages, a health, happiness, and peace
during this holiday season and during the coming year.
Make it a good day.
--Louis--
Louis Schmier www.therandomthoughts.com
Department of History www.halcyon.com/arborhts/louis.html
Valdosta State University
Valdosta, GA 31698 /~\ /\ /\
229-333-5947 /^\ / \ / /~\ \ /~\__/\
/ \__/ \/ / /\ /~\/ \
/\/\-/ /^\_____\____________/__/_______/^\
-_~ / "If you want to climb mountains, \ /^\
_ _ / don't practice on mole hills" - \____
---
You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
