When you have reason to believe that cheating is going on in your
classes, create a class sentiment against it and as far as possible
remove the temptation to dishonesty. You can create a sentiment against
it by talks and stories upon the subject of honesty given before the
entire school and by appealing privately to individual students whom you
know to be honest and saying to them something like this:
“I believe you are perfectly honest and would like to have others to be
so. You can help to eliminate cheating from our school by talking
against it whenever you have an opportunity. Of course we will not talk
about individuals who cheat, but will say what we think about the bad
effects of cheating itself.”
To remove temptation to dishonesty, be sure that you are fair. Make very
definite assignments of what is to be learned so that nobody can
possibly be in doubt as to what you will ask. If the lesson is in
American history, say, “Tomorrow I shall ask each one of you to write
the full name of each of the first ten Presidents of the United States
in the order in which they served.” The next day pass out small papers
and give them five minutes in which to write the Presidents’ names. Have
them exchange papers, let some one read what is on the paper he has
while the others check errors on the papers they have. Correct erroneous
answers as the reading proceeds. Ask pupils to grade the papers and
return them to their owners. Call the roll and have each pupil respond
by telling what grade he received. Gather up the papers and verify
grades, returning the papers the next day. For the following day give a
similar assignment.
[Sidenote: Five Minutes Test]
Use the five minute test method on any assigned lesson until pupils
become thoroughly familiarized with the writing of tests and come to
regard it as a usual—not an unusual—experience. Say, “Study this lesson
carefully. I will give you a little test on it tomorrow.” Until you can
trust the class, give many questions with short answers, rather than few
questions with long answers. The pupil who is trying to cheat can not
stop to hunt up answers in his book, where things are moving so rapidly.
Suppose the science lesson is on water. The day after the assignment,
pass out slips of paper about three by six inches in size. Say, “Put
your name at the top of the paper and number up to ten along the left
margin. Answer each question in one word if possible.”
“No. 1. Water is made up of two elements. One of them is hydrogen. Write
the name of the other after 1 on your paper.”
“No. 2. Write one word in answer to this question, Which is heavier,
water or ice?”
“No. 3. Write in figures a number. At what degree Fahrenheit does water
boil?”
“No. 4. Write ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to this question: Can you tell pure water
from impure by sight?” Continue up to ten, asking such questions as may
be answered by one word or one number. Have papers corrected as
indicated above and keep record of the grades.