BOO.


Kinda.

Here's how it went:

I was marking her mathematics homework and the numbers were getting bigger. There was one thing I realised.. The wasn't a single working found in the chapter! This is suspicious enough because I have taught her for a few months now. I know her standards. She might be able to calculate the addition of 2-digit numbers but she'd start to have problems subtracting. So why isn't there any workings for the subtraction of 3-digit numbers?

Then I flipped to the back of the book for the answers. One reason was because I was lazy to do my mental calculations. The other was to check for signs of cheating. And guess what? 凡走過必留下痕跡. There were accidental markings made by pencil. I was very sure they weren't made by me because 1) it was my first time flipping to that page and 2) I was holding a red pen.


So you can say that I am almost 100% sure that she has been copying from the answer sheet. It wasn't her first time either.

I'm going to type our conversation below based on my memory!

Me: I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to answer me honestly. Did you or did you not copy from the answers from the back?

Tutee: No. (In the 'no?' kinda tone.)

Me: Are you sure? Because I have proof that you did.

Tutee: *Starts to show guilt*

Me: So did you copy?

Tutee: *Shakes head & avoids eye contact*

Me: Okay I'm going to show you how I know you've been copying.

Then I explained about the workings and her reply was that she did the workings on another piece of paper. I asked her to show me the paper and she said that she threw it away because she didn't know that I'd want it. Then I went on about the pencil markings on the answer sheet. She couldn't retaliate to this because although the markings were accidental, there was no other reason (other than attempting to copy) that she needs to flip to that particular page. Oh by the way, this particular page has the answers to the chapter that I gave her as homework? Coincidental? I don't think so.

I explained that I have taught her for quite some time now so I know her standards. I know what she can and cannot do. I even went psychological on her.. Or something like that. I told her that I have taught so many students (that's not quite true hahaha) that I know when my students did or did not copy their homework. At this point of time, she's got no more ideas/lies already. I even told her that I've been a student myself, I have copied answers before, so I won't scold her for doing this. I understand this but I want her to be honest about it. So I asked my first question again. And this time she nodded.

I was actually kinda afraid that she'd burst out in tears (because that's what would have happened to me if I were in her shoes haha) so I quickly asked her "Did I ever scold you for not completing your homework? I didn't right? Whenever you did not finish you homework I'd ask you to do during lesson right? So next time if you have a lot of homework from school and you can't finish my homework, it's okay. Just tell me. I won't scold you."

So after that I told her that I have to remove the answer sheets from her books. At the end of the lesson she asked if I'd tell her mother about this. I told her I wouldn't, although it's not her first time doing this. But if I catch her doing it one more time, I'd tell.

I think she wouldn't dare to do it again already because I can feel that her mother's pretty strict on her.

Anyways, I remember I told her I'm disappointed in her in some point of the story but I can't remember when. Think about it. She's only 8 this year and she's spinning lies like she did her workings on another piece of paper and threw it away. And she came up with this lie almost immediately. Sigh. Kids these days..

Yeah. That's roughly about all. From what I can remember.