30 Times Students Figured Out A Way To Outsmart Their Teachers And Not Do Their Homework
Oh, the sheer hell of the assignment deadline… How much I don't miss you! I guess many of you are on the same page. Thinking back on the careless student years, nothing ruins the memories as much, but you know, it was part of that blessed and very cursed uni package.
But students out there weren’t born yesterday. They’ve been there, done that, taken one class, dropped another. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise hearing how many ingenious methods, smart tactics, and elaborate ways were implemented in uni (and school) corridors to buy yourself some extra time, that were totally unbeknownst to teachers and professors. Other creative methods were invented in order to submit an assignment that doesn’t even exist, so the list is endless.
So when Twitter user Mike Chase shared a vivid memory of handing in a paper 2 weeks late, putting a footprint on it and slipping it under the teacher’s desk, the savage bell rang to many former (and current) students out there. Below we collected some of the most savage examples, so get ready to chuckle big time! And if you have a similar story, be sure to share it in the comment section below.
Image credits: TheMikeChase
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I think it works once. If you are usually a reliable student you get the benefit of the doubt. If you always have an excuse for why your work isn't done the teacher will catch on.
It’s no secret that many kids and teens often find themselves unable to complete tasks on time, whether it be by a certain time of day or by a date on the calendar. There seem to be as many reasons for that to happen as there are excuses for it, and as you’ve seen from this post, the list is basically endless. So in order to try walking in teachers' shoes who deal with this kind of behavior on a daily basis, we spoke with Lynn How, an educator and the author of “Positive Young Minds” who specializes in supporting parents, teachers, and children navigating through mental health issues and prevention. Lynn has been a primary teacher for 20 years, so she has a lot of experience to share with us.
When asked how teachers deal with students trying to hand in their homework assignments late, Lynn said that it largely depends on the school's individual policy. “However,” she added, “better late than never should still apply here!” Lynn said that she would rather a student ask for an extension and give a reason rather than just being late or not handing it in at all.
While there are many reasons why students don't hand their assignments in, some kids may try to 'outsmart' a teacher. However, Lynn said that “their grades will suffer ultimately so they are really just damaging their own education. In this situation, finding the reason behind the behavior is best.”
The educator explained that “some students have difficult home lives and assignments might not be as high on their agenda in comparison to just getting through the day. In all these situations, getting parents onside is useful as well as putting in place some sort of mentor until the student is back on track.”
love it! I did the some thing once just with the first one
“I have taught children who have difficult home lives and provided them with opportunities to complete assignments in their lunchtimes or free time at school should they wish,” Lynn recounted. She said that ultimately, “If the barriers can be removed, then the issue can be reduced. You still get the odd 'the dog ate my homework' excuse (less so since a lot of it is online learning!).”
We had to do a PowerPoint presentation, some time to with in class, finish it at home. I was having some motivation issue that year and didn't have PowerPoint at home. I took the floppy I'd started at school, crinkled the dusk so it got shut in the metal slide, then acted amazed when I couldn't open my presentation. I got to give my presentation/facts with someone's sides from another period. Don't feel bad because we couldn't afford PowerPoint, especially for one assignment.
Lynn also said that once she needed to explain to her daughter's school that she did it, but the computer managed to wipe it, which is easily done. “Getting all the information from the student before making an assumption about their tardiness is important, especially when they don't have an on-board parent to advocate for them,” she concluded.
Dang, I never had teachers like this. If the teacher couldn't find the assignment they'd always claim it wasn't their misplacing, it was the students who didn't turn it in then would give a zero.
Would not have worked in my uni! Teachers would say that you had to be prepared to hand it over during this specific class, that it was your job to plan it in advance and that waiting 'till the d-day to print it was a risk you chose to take so now own up to it. And honestly I agree, it's annoying when people don't give a **** and then ask for understanding; like that's both childish and disrespectful! (of course I understand that there are moments when you do have a good reason for missing a deadline and I think teachers should take it into consideration but that's different)
Easy enough now to see if a file has been changed. Had a student submit a digital "doctor's note" with the date changed and I could prove she'd changed the date easily and she got expelled.
Why wouldn't the teacher insist that you write legibly? In high school?
Our Biology prof in College had us write summaries to the chapters and turn them in for credit (10 points each.) After about 4 chapters, she complained that the class summaries made it obvious that people were not reading the chapters and finding the important points. She then pointed everyone in my direction as I'd gotten 10 points on all of my summaries. Thanks a lot! I wasn't about to tell anyone that I just skimmed through the chapter and wasn't really reading it myself.
I thought about doing that many times in both high school and University, but I could never find an appropriate topic for a paper that would justify reassignment into classes. I don't see why it would be plagiarism though!
Note: this post originally had 47 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Quick note: for 95% of these "Totally tricked the teacher into thinking I turned it in, then did it later" you definitely didn't trick them. Deadlines are arbitrary and most teachers just want it done. S**t happens and as long as it's not habitual, they're mentally giving you a mulligan. One thing every single student needs to remember is that every teacher has been a student - and especially once you get to college professors, they've been students for literally decades elementary through grad school. You're not "putting one over on them" because there's like a 50/50 chance they pulled the *exact* same s**t when they were in your shoes.
This. I’m a teacher and 90% of the time I just don’t have the time or the energy to bother. But if you want to rub it in and be smug about it, you’ll get what you asked for.
I would be honest about it. Tell them you are going to pick 5 of the 25 to read. Method for choosing those 5 will vary. If yours is chosen and isn't here or isn't complete, you get an F. Do you feel lucky, punk?
It worked much more easily on teachers when the internet was new and none of them had any real experience with computers. But it could still work in business in many cases--especially at the executive level. Between the partners at the firm I run and several of the jurists we answer to, I (with a background in programming) could literally make any random BS excuse related to technology up and explain it in such a tech-forward way that any of them would just 100% buy it. I know this because when we HAVE had issues that have caused connectivity issues (like CơX cable randomly just changing all the IPs and DNSs for our company and thousands of other local business without any warning one day), trying to explain to a Commissioner and our partners what was going on was a lesson in futility. Geezers rarely get tech. I literally have to tell them that the problem with their wireless keyboards is that the batteries need to be changed. They just don't "tech".
I worked for one of the big telecommunications companies here in the US, (not in tech support, I must add) and frequently had to explain to project managers, management, even the VPs/EVPs, that yes, wireless mice still needed things like batteries, or to be recharged. I was a project manager for the marketing/data analytics team, but somehow ended up being everyone's tech support call when they couldn't figure things out. Even the CTO didn't understand most of the "tech" we talked about.
Exactly what happens to me! I have a programming and systems security penetration background, though (from my time in the military), so I get called by our own IT team sometimes too. It's ridiculous. I often wonder why I'm paying people so they can come to me and bug me about things I pay other people to fix and keep running for everyone. BTW...maybe you can angle your side responsibility into a raise or bonus? I did that when I took over as safety officer at my previous job. I implemented several new safety programs, then told them I deserved a nice raise, and lo and behold...they gave it to me. So my conclusion is that it never hurts to try to point out that having additional responsibilities within the company makes you deserving of a raise. I usually offer my employees extra pay for additional responsibilities but, sadly, most companies make you ask for it. :/
In many of these cases I feel like just doing the assignment would be easier than the "hack" ie writing a computer program that corrupts a file. And I am sure many teachers are on to these tricks, we just don't get paid enough to care or fight with you
What amazes me is that they spend all this time and effort trying to avoid having to learn about things that, in 10 or 20 years, they are going to 100% rue not knowing. If I'd paid more attention in class, I wouldn't constantly be second-guessing my knowledge of European history, historical anthropology and geography, and English lit--just a few of the things that, surprisingly enough, really matter when you reach 35 or 40 and work in executive circles. (Also, I 100% should have taken classic Latin. Everyone should.) My brain was the proverbial high-absorbancy sponge until I hit 40. Now I'm trying to teach myself German and I can't remember shït--yet I recall EVERYTHING I learned in 1 semester of French @13 and 1 year of Spanish @ 15.
Writing the program was probably more fun to them than the assignment, and it sounds like it was used on more than one assignment. In summer other cases I'm inclined to agree with you though.
Assignments are not assigned because they are "fun" they are assigned to teach you something. Cheating is nothing but you failing to learn. And it will always come back to bite you in the butt.
Though if it was a tech class they would pass even if they didn't do the assignment just for the creativity.
When I struggled with something and needed more time I… told them that. What’s with the need to feel like you “fooled” a teacher?
I was in high school in the late 90s, so I'm part of the generation of girls with autism spectrum disorder that weren't diagnosed. We're called "the missing girls" because doctors literally just missed the signs of our autism, because ASD manifests in a different way in girls than in boys. Sometimes when I was late on my homework because I was struggling, if I told the teachers, they'd berate me. I was constantly called lazy. They knew I was smart and I could do the work (I'm great at tests, so I can pass them even without doing the majority of the homework), so they just assumed that I wasn't "applying myself." In reality, I'd get so overwhelmed with homework, that I'd have a meltdown. I'd be sitting in the corner of my room freaking out and crying because I knew that it meant teachers were going to be mad at me. I actually graduated high school early, in 3.5 years instead of 4, because I just literally couldn't deal with the teachers. So tricking the teachers was easier sometimes.
Quick note: for 95% of these "Totally tricked the teacher into thinking I turned it in, then did it later" you definitely didn't trick them. Deadlines are arbitrary and most teachers just want it done. S**t happens and as long as it's not habitual, they're mentally giving you a mulligan. One thing every single student needs to remember is that every teacher has been a student - and especially once you get to college professors, they've been students for literally decades elementary through grad school. You're not "putting one over on them" because there's like a 50/50 chance they pulled the *exact* same s**t when they were in your shoes.
This. I’m a teacher and 90% of the time I just don’t have the time or the energy to bother. But if you want to rub it in and be smug about it, you’ll get what you asked for.
I would be honest about it. Tell them you are going to pick 5 of the 25 to read. Method for choosing those 5 will vary. If yours is chosen and isn't here or isn't complete, you get an F. Do you feel lucky, punk?
It worked much more easily on teachers when the internet was new and none of them had any real experience with computers. But it could still work in business in many cases--especially at the executive level. Between the partners at the firm I run and several of the jurists we answer to, I (with a background in programming) could literally make any random BS excuse related to technology up and explain it in such a tech-forward way that any of them would just 100% buy it. I know this because when we HAVE had issues that have caused connectivity issues (like CơX cable randomly just changing all the IPs and DNSs for our company and thousands of other local business without any warning one day), trying to explain to a Commissioner and our partners what was going on was a lesson in futility. Geezers rarely get tech. I literally have to tell them that the problem with their wireless keyboards is that the batteries need to be changed. They just don't "tech".
I worked for one of the big telecommunications companies here in the US, (not in tech support, I must add) and frequently had to explain to project managers, management, even the VPs/EVPs, that yes, wireless mice still needed things like batteries, or to be recharged. I was a project manager for the marketing/data analytics team, but somehow ended up being everyone's tech support call when they couldn't figure things out. Even the CTO didn't understand most of the "tech" we talked about.
Exactly what happens to me! I have a programming and systems security penetration background, though (from my time in the military), so I get called by our own IT team sometimes too. It's ridiculous. I often wonder why I'm paying people so they can come to me and bug me about things I pay other people to fix and keep running for everyone. BTW...maybe you can angle your side responsibility into a raise or bonus? I did that when I took over as safety officer at my previous job. I implemented several new safety programs, then told them I deserved a nice raise, and lo and behold...they gave it to me. So my conclusion is that it never hurts to try to point out that having additional responsibilities within the company makes you deserving of a raise. I usually offer my employees extra pay for additional responsibilities but, sadly, most companies make you ask for it. :/
In many of these cases I feel like just doing the assignment would be easier than the "hack" ie writing a computer program that corrupts a file. And I am sure many teachers are on to these tricks, we just don't get paid enough to care or fight with you
What amazes me is that they spend all this time and effort trying to avoid having to learn about things that, in 10 or 20 years, they are going to 100% rue not knowing. If I'd paid more attention in class, I wouldn't constantly be second-guessing my knowledge of European history, historical anthropology and geography, and English lit--just a few of the things that, surprisingly enough, really matter when you reach 35 or 40 and work in executive circles. (Also, I 100% should have taken classic Latin. Everyone should.) My brain was the proverbial high-absorbancy sponge until I hit 40. Now I'm trying to teach myself German and I can't remember shït--yet I recall EVERYTHING I learned in 1 semester of French @13 and 1 year of Spanish @ 15.
Writing the program was probably more fun to them than the assignment, and it sounds like it was used on more than one assignment. In summer other cases I'm inclined to agree with you though.
Assignments are not assigned because they are "fun" they are assigned to teach you something. Cheating is nothing but you failing to learn. And it will always come back to bite you in the butt.
Though if it was a tech class they would pass even if they didn't do the assignment just for the creativity.
When I struggled with something and needed more time I… told them that. What’s with the need to feel like you “fooled” a teacher?
I was in high school in the late 90s, so I'm part of the generation of girls with autism spectrum disorder that weren't diagnosed. We're called "the missing girls" because doctors literally just missed the signs of our autism, because ASD manifests in a different way in girls than in boys. Sometimes when I was late on my homework because I was struggling, if I told the teachers, they'd berate me. I was constantly called lazy. They knew I was smart and I could do the work (I'm great at tests, so I can pass them even without doing the majority of the homework), so they just assumed that I wasn't "applying myself." In reality, I'd get so overwhelmed with homework, that I'd have a meltdown. I'd be sitting in the corner of my room freaking out and crying because I knew that it meant teachers were going to be mad at me. I actually graduated high school early, in 3.5 years instead of 4, because I just literally couldn't deal with the teachers. So tricking the teachers was easier sometimes.