Cheaters

There was more cheating by the students during my second exam last week. Nothing serious, no cheat sheets or plagerizing, but the student’s eyes were wandering more than an 18-year-old’s during spring break. I circulated around the room, I made eye contact, I tapped on desks and anything else I could think of to let the students know I was watching them.

Afterward, I sat down with Marianna, the chair of the English department and the teacher I feel most comfortable talking to about these things. She said Hungarian law prohibits teachers from downgrading based on behavior, and cheating is considered a behavioral issue! She told me when Hungarian teachers enforce cheating (and they don’t always), they often cross out the portion of the test they believe the student was cheating on and make them rewrite it (remember, most if not all history exams are essay). Or, they might take the test away and have the student retake it either as a written exam or orally. So, there’s no disincentive for the students to cheat. The worst that can happen is they have to redo the test. The best is that they ace it. I suggested perhaps in the future the penalty for cheating should be extra work. Marianna agreed that was a good idea.

I followed up on my talk with Marianna by talking to the students about cheating. I devoted an entire class period to the topic.

I started by listing some of the differences between education in America and Hungary. I told them they seemed to work harder on the whole, that they seem to memorize facts more effectively, and that they are outstanding at mastering theoretical math skills.

Pride beaming in the room.

However, I also say I think their history education lacks in the area of critical thinking exercises.

Some heads nodding affirmatively.

I say I think American math teachers do a better job teaching applied mathematics.

Instant outcries of criticism of the American math teacher in Szolnok.

I also tell them I have seen more cheating in my 2-plus months in Hungary than I did in a lifetime of American schools.

A few chuckles.

I explain that in America, if a student is caught cheating he or she would likely get a zero on the test or assignment, and a second instance of cheating could result in being suspended from school. A third strike and you’re out – expulsion in some cases.

Horrified looks, jaws getting closer to the floor.

I ask them if they think a lot of students cheat in Hungarian schools.

General agreement, yes.

I write “cheat” on the board. I ask what other areas in life do people cheat.

In sports – like they pay off the referee. People pay the police.

“You mean they bribe the police, like when they get pulled over for speeding?”

Yeah.

“How much do you have to pay them to get away?”

Maybe 2500 forint.

“Hmm, I’ll have to remember that.”

Smiles

“Where else do people cheat?”

Silence.

“On their taxes? Do people tell the government about every single forint they earn?”

Laughter – no!

What about cheating on your spouse?

Blank stares.

“Cheating on your husband or wife.”

Oh, yeah, that’s bad!

“What’s another word for cheating? How else can we describe the word?”

A pregnant silence…Not telling the truth? Yeah, dishonesty.

“Can we call that lying?”

Yeah.

“How many of you have lied to a friend?”

Silence

“No one?”

One hand.

“Ok, one person isn’t lying right now.”

Nervous laughter.

“How many of you have had a friend lie to you?”

A roomful of hands. I laugh.

“I guess there must be one or two people going around lying to everyone, huh? Ok, how did it feel to be lied to?”

Bad. I was mad. Sad. Hurt.

“What did you think of your friend afterward?”

I didn’t know if I could trust him anymore.

“And every time someone lies to us, we get a little bit lonelier, because that’s one more person we have to think twice about trusting again. Has anyone been lied to by their parents?”

One hand – the same one who admitted she lied to a friend.

“I’ll bet that really hurt, because we trust our parents more than anyone else.”

A sad look from the girl. Silence elsewhere.

“Who’s cheated in school at some point? I have.”

All the hands slowly go up.

“Why did you do it?”

Because we need to get 5’s to get into a good University. Because we want to get good jobs.

“Uh huh. I understand that. But, when you get that 5 after cheating are you as proud of it as you would be if you didn’t cheat?”

But the Universities don’t care about pride.

“No, it doesn’t seem they do? Do you care about being proud of yourself, of the job you do?”

Well, yeah, but the school only takes people who have 5’s.

“So, you’re willing to give up your personal belief in being proud of your own work to please the University?” I write “individual” on the board and circle it. Then I write “others” on the board and circle it. I draw an arrow from “others” to “individual.”

“Many others put a lot of pressure on us to do things in life, that maybe we wouldn’t do if that pressure wasn’t there. Most of us hope to get into a good university. Then what? You’ll get a good job, make good money, buy nice things, meet someone, fall in love, marry, have children, perhaps travel, learn some skills, take up hobbies, send your kids off to school, retire, relax, go to the nursing home, and die.”

Laughter.

“It’s a good plan. But what’s the one common theme between all those parts of life: university, job, relationship, family, hobbies, retirement, death? Who’s the only person that’s a part of all these “stages of life?”

We are

“Exactly. When you stop and look at all the things you have done, the wealth you have built up, the people you have met, the children you have raised, the places you have gone, what happens if you may have only achieved it because you cheated? Don’t answer it, just think about it.”

“I’m not going to suddenly change your life today, but I want to bring something to your attention. When you cheat, when you lie, you hurt others. They have to think before they can trust you again. You have made them lonelier. But, you have cheated yourself most. Whatever gains you make when you cheat are tainted. You didn’t really earn that “5.” That job really isn’t yours. The things you own were bought with lies.”

“We’ve all cheated in one way or another, and we all will do so again. But, I certainly hope the next time you consider cheating these thoughts will cross your mind, and perhaps, just maybe, you’ll feel a tinge of guilt deep down in your stomach, because you'll know you're not really “earning it.”

Total silence, eyes all fixed on me

“You guys have a great weekend, I’ll see you next Tuesday."

"Only one week left in school!”

Have a nice weekend Mr. Aronow!