Some teachers were very good at spotting when a student was stealing, even though the classroom was full of them. Ms. Thompson became suspicious when she looked over Jimmy’s test answers, and what happened next was a very funny conversation.
“Jimmy, I think you’ve been cheating on your tests,” Ms. Thompson told him in a serious but funny tone.
Jimmy looked at her with wide eyes in shock. He tried to stay innocent by asking, “How can you prove it?”
With a knowing smile, Ms. Thompson said. “Let us look at the answers.” You and the student next to you, Penny, both wrote “George Washington” for “Who was our first president?” That’s not a surprise, but the next question made people look twice.
If someone asked you, ‘Who freed the slaves?’ you both said ‘Abraham Lincoln.’ Jimmy, that’s pretty cool, especially since you said you read the history book last night.
Even though Jimmy’s trust was starting to drop, Ms. Thompson dealt him the final blow. The question about the president during the Louisiana Purchase was the one that made the difference. Penny said she didn’t know, but you wrote, “Neither do I.””
It was over. Jimmy’s efforts to cheat were caught by Ms. Thompson’s careful attention to detail. The story from the classroom is a good lesson that teachers are often smarter than their students think.
Jimmy’s failed attempt to lie is a funny way to show how important it is to be honest and work hard. He might think twice before he tries to cheat again. The answer will come in time, but one thing is for sure: Ms. Thompson will be very careful with him.
