Pipes and Pawn Shops

My kids have an uncanny knack for remembering minor details – and for making up their own details – when reading a story.  For example...

Last week, our class read a story called "Sea Dog."  It's about a boy who finds a dog on the beach, decides to keep her, and later finds out that the dog belongs to a lonely old man.  The lonely old man happens to enjoy a pipe every once in a while throughout the story.  When my kids asked me what a pipe was, I drew a picture on the board to help them visualize it.  Apparently it worked.  Later, after reading a passage about how the old man used to go sailing with his dog, I asked the kids, "What did Bill and Otter used to do together?"  And Grant (name changed, of course) shouted out confidently, "SMOKE!"

This week I chose a story without any mention of substance use.  Yet, Roger (remember him?!) still managed to create some excitement.  In this true story, a teenage boy makes a difference in the world by restoring old bikes that he buys at garage sales and then donating the refurbished bikes to less fortunate kids.  When I wanted to show off my awesome teaching skills to my department chair this afternoon, I said to Roger, "Tell Mr. Keppler about the story we’re reading.”  And then, when Roger put his hand to his head and moaned, I decided to help him out.  “Remember, the main character’s name is Justin, and he buys bikes from garage sales and fixes them up.  Then what does he do with them?”  Roger snapped his fingers as a look of recognition lit up his face, and he exclaimed, “He takes them to the pawn shop!”

So there you have it folks.  You want your kids to soak up some suspicious behaviors?  Just bring ‘em on down to English for Delinquents 101.