Cat Got Your Tongue

Blogger's Note: Sorry there wasn't a post last week. I came into town to use the internet only to find it was broken for the day. Here's the next two for your entertainment. Enjoy!
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On Wednesday morning, there was a student who was being particularly mischievous. I told him that because of his inappropriate behavior, he was to stay in 5 minutes during break. Of course the second I turned my head to talk to another student, he brazenly ran out of class and wouldn’t come back even after I called for him. As punishment, I told him he was to look up the word “obey” in the dictionary since he clearly did not know what it meant and write it 100 times. I took the student to the library and after he put up a fight (by threatening to jump out the window), he finally opened the dictionary.

Student: The word not here Miss.
Me: Yes it is. Keep looking.

I glanced down to see where he had flipped to and the book was opened to the o-c section. I immediately realized that I had to give a quick dictionary and phonics lesson in order for this punishment to be effective. After explaining how the dictionary worked, I tried to then explain phonics to the student.

Me: Ok, you’re looking in the o-c section. You’re trying to look up the word “obey.” Where should you be looking?
Student: Me don’t know Miss
Me: O-bbbbbbbey. What letter comes next after O?
Student: Me don’t know Miss.
Me: Ok, well you’re in the o-c’s, right? You want to be in the o-b’s? B like ball. What sound does B make?
Student: bbbbbb
Me: Good. And what sound does C make?
Student: Chhhhh
Me: How about C like cat? Cccccccat. What sound does that make?
Student: Ssssssss
Me. Cccccccat.
Student: Shhhhhh
Me: Cccccccccat. What sound does ccccccccccat make?
Student: Meow.

As irritated as I was at his attitude and behavior in the morning, he did in fact answer the question correctly and I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing.