Mr. Pinocchio Is Back At It

Mr. Pinocchio is back at his ways - not that the lying ever stopped.  Since my last post honoring my gifted (yep...truly labeled AIG) student, the lying hasn't really stopped but I've been trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.  His mother doesn't want him to get a bad reputation and doesn't want him blamed for things that he truly didn't do (others are always putting the unwarranted blame on him of course).  So of course he didn't tell another student to Suck his p#^!$ so that stuff comes out.   Of course he wasn't following a girl around the room.  Of course he wasn't saying inappropriate things about his crush. Of course he wasn't talking in line or during silent lunch.  Of course he wasn't playing around in the bathroom.  Of course! Of course! Of course!

I'm a teacher....not a saint...and I couldn't take anymore.  So today during indoor recess when he was accused of using the Scrabble Slam letters (which I use to think was a great game) to spell words such as butt, poop, and b!&@%...I really did want to give him the benefit of the doubt.  There was another boy involved who also doesn't make good choices (already suspended twice this year) and they were blaming it on each other.  The other one MADE them do it.  One sweet boy ...who never does anything wrong...got involved and I felt bad for him.  I called all 4 boys (Mr. Pinocchio, Mr. Bad Choices, Mr. Good Choice, and the Tattle Tale) all into the hallway to call an administrator and discuss their poor choices and lack of taking responsibility for their actions.  But then a boy on my carpet said one of the saddest things..."So you probably just want us to sit quietly on the carpet and wait?"  OMG....this had happened so often they knew what I expected...that was not okay.  I let the 15 students not involved go next door to a co-teacher who was teaching the same mini-lesson and I marched my 4 special boys to the office.  I've held it together pretty well recently - not letting my students' poor choices get to me...but I had had it.  I let a few tears slip once in the office but I dropped them off and my wonderful admin got to the bottom of it.  Mr. Poor Choice owned up to his choices and was quickly sent back to class because telling the truth is often more important than the actual choices. Mr. Good Choice wrote a letter about staying out of bad situations.  The Tattle Tale came back quite proud of himself.  AND YES...IMAGINE IT...Mr. Pinocchio lied. Luckily  the masterful principal was able to find the truth though.

When will kids learn that telling the truth will often get them out of trouble faster and with less consequences than lying??!