Monday, July 24, 2006
I continue "and shot each other." He asks me if there's a period now. I tell him there is. He reads it back to me, "One dark night comma in the middle of the day comma two dead boys got up to play period. Back to back they faced each other comma drew their weapons and shot each other period." "No, no, no!" I tell him, "it's not weapons, it's swords." "Okay, swords." He stops for a second, then tells me that it doesn't really make sense. I tell him to wait a minute, and to hear the end of the story. I continue.
"A deaf policeman," I say, has Ben asking how to spell 'deaf'. I give my usual response, which is "how do you think it's spelled?" "D.E.P.H?" he asks, and I tell him it's D.E.A.F. We both agree that English is a very strange language. This leads into a whole discussion about why English is weird, and the origins of words. I'm starting to think that maybe Ben will have forgotten that my story isn't make complete sense.
I continue with "heard the noise," which causes another quick discussion about the spelling of the word 'noise' which we both agree is another strange one. Another question about commas, then I tell him to let me finish the story. "And came and shot those two dead boys." He asks me "if they were dead, why did the policeman shoot them again?" I tell him to let me finish, and it will all become clear soon. I try to say "And if you don't believe," which has him stop me to tell me that you can't start a sentence with the words "and if." I'm beginning to think that the kid has learned a little too much in second grade last year, and let him start the next sentence by saying "If you don't believe..."
I continue with "this lie is true," which has Ben asking about how lies can be true. I brush it off, knowing that I can't continue this charade much longer. "Ask the blind man, he saw it too." I ask him if he knows which 'too' I mean, and he gets it correct, as usual.
Finally, it's ready for him to read: "One dark night comma in the middle of the day comma two dead boys got up to play period. Back to back they faced each other comma drew their weapons," "Swords" I stop him, "it's swords!" "Drew their swords comma and shot each other period. A deaf policeman heard the noise comma and came and shot those two dead boys period If you don't believe this lie is true comma ask the blind man he saw it too period" Ben stops for a minute, letting the words he's just read out loud completely sink in. He looks at me and tells me that this is not true, that I've read it somewhere else. I tell him it's a poem, and to enjoy it for what it is. He takes it out of his newpaper man's notebook, and tells me he's going to put it away for a while. Then he goes off to play with his brother and sister for a while. About 15 minutes later, he tells me that the poem is going to go in the fun and games section of his newspaper. I realize that I have accomplished everything I set out to do, keep him occupied, keep him interested, and keep him learning. And I know that he gets it too, which makes me feel like beaming.
Too bad I never got to tell him about the scary man I saw lurking in our hallway this morning....
"A deaf policeman," I say, has Ben asking how to spell 'deaf'. I give my usual response, which is "how do you think it's spelled?" "D.E.P.H?" he asks, and I tell him it's D.E.A.F. We both agree that English is a very strange language. This leads into a whole discussion about why English is weird, and the origins of words. I'm starting to think that maybe Ben will have forgotten that my story isn't make complete sense.
I continue with "heard the noise," which causes another quick discussion about the spelling of the word 'noise' which we both agree is another strange one. Another question about commas, then I tell him to let me finish the story. "And came and shot those two dead boys." He asks me "if they were dead, why did the policeman shoot them again?" I tell him to let me finish, and it will all become clear soon. I try to say "And if you don't believe," which has him stop me to tell me that you can't start a sentence with the words "and if." I'm beginning to think that the kid has learned a little too much in second grade last year, and let him start the next sentence by saying "If you don't believe..."
I continue with "this lie is true," which has Ben asking about how lies can be true. I brush it off, knowing that I can't continue this charade much longer. "Ask the blind man, he saw it too." I ask him if he knows which 'too' I mean, and he gets it correct, as usual.
Finally, it's ready for him to read: "One dark night comma in the middle of the day comma two dead boys got up to play period. Back to back they faced each other comma drew their weapons," "Swords" I stop him, "it's swords!" "Drew their swords comma and shot each other period. A deaf policeman heard the noise comma and came and shot those two dead boys period If you don't believe this lie is true comma ask the blind man he saw it too period" Ben stops for a minute, letting the words he's just read out loud completely sink in. He looks at me and tells me that this is not true, that I've read it somewhere else. I tell him it's a poem, and to enjoy it for what it is. He takes it out of his newpaper man's notebook, and tells me he's going to put it away for a while. Then he goes off to play with his brother and sister for a while. About 15 minutes later, he tells me that the poem is going to go in the fun and games section of his newspaper. I realize that I have accomplished everything I set out to do, keep him occupied, keep him interested, and keep him learning. And I know that he gets it too, which makes me feel like beaming.
Too bad I never got to tell him about the scary man I saw lurking in our hallway this morning....
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