C is for Confession(s)

Confessions are what I got today. Yep, that’s right. The little boogers fessed up! After threats of Resource Officer visits and fingerprinting, taking away Star Cards completely, and NO GREEN EGGS AND HAM, I think it got to them.

And guess who. It was Freckles. Cute little Freckles. He’s one of those sneaky ones that you have to keep your eye on. One of those that is fine for me, but gives his other teachers a hard time. I had just gotten a note about him on Friday from the substitute.

It all went down during reading groups today. We were in the middle of sight words.

Freckles: Ms. Buckler. How much trouble will the Star Card person be in?

Me: Well, it depends on when they tell me and how they say it.

Freckles: I did it.

Me: Okay, thanks for telling me. We’ll talk about it after reading group.

I then asked Freckles to stay at my table and talk. He asked to go outside so no one could hear him.

Me: So when did you do it?

Freckles: The other day when that big guy was here (Translation: Friday when the substitute was there.)

Me: So you jumped up to the top of the t.v. stand and got the star puncher?

Freckles: MMhhmmm…but EVERY Friday dude made me do it! And Mr. Jokester and Cheeky also had a plan.

I finished my lecture on safety and responsibility with Mr. Freckles and handed out his punishment. He dutifully went inside to write his apology letters.

I pulled the other three amigos outside. Cheeky instantly started to cry.

Me: Okay guys, I know you did it. But now I need to know why. Mr. Jokester, I’m surprised about you. You’re always so responsible.

Mr. Jokester: I just went along with it. It was all EVERY Friday dude’s idea. I thought it sounded like a good idea at the time. (Sad face)

Me: And you Cheeky! Not you! You were just Student of the Month! What do you have to say for yourself?

Cheeky: (Cries harder. No words.)

I repeated a similar lecture to these three and hand out punishments. On the way in, they had more confessions.

EVERY Friday dude: Oh, and Ms. Buckler, Cheeky had nothing to do with it. We punched it for him.

Mr. Jokester: And we stole those cookies on Valentine’s Day, too.

Me: Thanks for being honest guys. Cheeky! You’re off the hook! I knew you were a good man!

My apology notes contained ‘soree’s and I’ll never do it ‘agin’s. Oh, and ‘you can take away our recess for a month’. Yeah, thanks for the permission guys…

So, I have no idea if it was my threats, the loss of green eggs and ham and recess, the peer pressure, or just Freckles conscience.  But I DID get to the bottom of this. Case closed.  You can now rest easy.