Teachers form bonds with the students in their classes. When a student cheats, this hurts. It feels like a betrayal. You’ve gotten to know them and have treated them with respect. And now, they have returned this respect with disrespect for your classroom.

When the cheating is not limited to one student, but instead is spread across an entire class because of a cheating conspiracy, the feelings of betrayal and upset are far worse. Some teachers even find that the majority of their students were involved in the cheating scandal.

It’s not something anyone wants to happen. But, if it happens to you, here is how to behave:

Assume the worst. If you catch one student cheating on something, you may be inclined to leave it at that. This is a mistake. Where one student cheats, there are often several more cheaters.

Check for students who don’t pay attention in class or do their homework regularly but who scored very well on the exam. If the exam requires that the student show his or her work, check the work to see if you can in fact follow how they came to their answer.

Do not become emotional. You are certain to feel hurt and betrayed when you find students of yours cheating. It will be distressing, and disappointing. Of course you don’t want to express these feelings directly during class, but you need to guard against letting them fester into lingering resentment.

You also don’t want to overreact and become enraged or personal or visibly upset when you catch a cheater. Keep it official-like and formal.

Yes, cheating is bad. Yes, you are disappointed, and shocked. The students involved will be punished. Be sure to establish a tone in your class that says there will be no tolerance for cheating, to discourage other students from following suit.

This procedure, if followed, will help you maintain a professional demeanor in a difficult situation.

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