Circumstantial Evidence, Errands, and Construction Crews!

Yesterday was the first day that I can recall not posting since I've moved to the big city. Why? Well, as it turns out, the city has decided to do some work on my street. They are also expanding the highway behind me, so it's busy around here! In the midst of that, something got hit, and I was without internet, cable, and phone service for about 24 hours. Anywho, this short little gal is GLAD to have it all back on. Only bummer is that I missed last night's TV line-up. Then again, life goes on, right? :-)

Today was full of drama. I have to admit, I was a bit stressed by it because I am so busy preparing for parent/teacher conferences that I really didn't want to deal with other stuff. I should have prayed about that though! :-)

It must be some sort of tradition in the world of education that a Book Fair is held the week of parent/teacher conferences. Every year I have taught that has been the case, and we're having one now at my new school. While it's a great idea, as the parents come in and spend money, it's a nightmare for teachers because of the issues of money as well as products mysteriously disappearing. Yeah, you see where this story is going...

I have AvoidingWorkKid, who I have blogged about before. He's a decent kid, but has already been caught stealing red-handed in the cafeteria, and has lied to me twice this year about stuff he really didn't have to lie about. Lying+stealing=not able to trust this kid.

So this morning, one of my students brought in all the stuff that she had bought at the book fair. She had two posters and two erasers. In hindsight, I should have told her to take her stuff back to her other classroom, but I didn't know what was going to happen. AvoidingWorkKid and this gal are in the same group.

So AvoidingWorkKid left at 10:30, while BookFairGirl stayed until noon. At a little before noon, BookFairGirl said, "I can't find my eraser." We looked on the floor as well as all over the room and couldn't find it. I told her it was too bad but there wasn't anything I could do. I let it go and the kids went back to class.

At 12:30 AvoidingWorkKid came in, handed me the eraser, and said, "Here give this to BookFairGirl, I found it on the floor."

Hum....we had looked on the floor...

And, how did he know it was BookFairGirl's? He wasn't in the room when we did the search...

I looked at him and said, "You found it on the floor? Hum, because we looked there before lunch..."

He replied with "Well, maybe it was in a desk then..."

Hum...we checked all the desks...

I followed with, "Okay, so how did you get it then?"

He said, "I don't know!"

To which I replied, "You know, I think you took it."

He just looked at me and said, "I didn't steal it!"

Hum....stuff wasn't adding up, the kid had lied to me before, and has also stolen before.

Needless to say, he lost his recess while we tried to process with him (the big BIST word "process"), and he just sat there and cried saying he hadn't stolen it. I explained to him that a natural consequence of lying previously is that we can't believe him now. I honestly believe he did it.

So, it is all circumstantial, as I didn't actually see him take it, but I know this kid well enough to know that he isn't stupid. He wasn't wanting to go home and explain to his parents what had happened. He's from another culture and this is a big deal in that family.

So, when his parents came to get him, I explained the whole thing to them. I even played the "It is circumstantial, but..." card.
While they played the ADHD card, it was clear they got it. I'll be anxious to see what tomorrow holds.. Makes me wonder if he'll change his behavior. I pray that he does...

On a more humorous note, I was working with a third grader today on a writing assignment that he had to do for his regular teacher. We had the work done and I said, "Hey, Ash, run and see if your teacher wants this page colored." He turned to leave and then looked at me and said, "Can I really run or do I need to walk?"

After I stopped laughing he said, "I need to walk don't I?"

Yep.

Love this job.

Even when kids lie and steal there is still humor in the day...

Life.
Is.
Good.