Who cheats on whom? In Alfie Kohn's argument, "Who betrays whom?" explains that cheating happens because students are not engaged in class due to a few different factors, such as lack of interest in a subject or the pressure of getting good grades instead of learning. He claims evidence from several experiments, allowing him to appear more credible, showing that students are more likely to cheat because their school places more emphasis on student performance on tests and homework than what is learned in class. Kohn actually argues that if students were truly engaged in what is being taught, and learning was encouraged more than memorizing and passing a test, cheating would be less of a problem. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayIn the simplest terms, cheating is wrong because teachers cannot accurately assess how much is learned in class and what they need to improve on the next time they teach that lesson. But Kohn says, “When teachers don't seem to have a real connection with their students, or when they don't seem to care much about them, students are more likely to cheat.” Kohn uses pathos in his argument because if a student reads the quote, they know how it feels when a teacher doesn't truly connect with them. From personal experience, I find this very true. When it seems like a teacher doesn't really care about being in school and teaching their students, it is harder to pay attention and want to learn what they are teaching. I get distracted and when tests come I panic because I didn't learn what was previously taught. Kohn cites a study of sixth and seventh graders who were more likely to cheat because they believed the subject taught was “boring, irrelevant, or overwhelming” (Kohn). When interesting information is conveyed to students, greater learning occurs. Students are more engaged when they are in a class that piques their interest, meaning cheating is a less common occurrence. Each student has their own interests, and if they are forced to take a math or science class when they really want to pursue art, they will be less open to learning and more open to cheating. If they took an art class instead of math class, then it would be clear that they would be more likely to do homework on their own instead of copying it from a friend. When schools use honor rolls, such as the National Honor Society, or anything else alike, students are more likely to cheat to be a part of that group (Kohn). They believe that reward is more important than time spent learning. Many people I've met who are on honor roll joke about how they wouldn't be on it if it weren't for them cheating on their tests and other assignments. They think having “National Honor Society” on their college application is better than learning on their own. What will help them in the long run, being on an honor roll or the information they should have absorbed and learned? Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Kohn doesn't believe students should cheat, but he understands why they do it. Throughout his argument, he provides evidence and examples of why students cheat and explains that students feel more pressured to perform well than to learn. If school were more about learning and less about one's performance.