Consider this...

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Consider this...
By ccteacher

I know it probably sounds cliche, but this could be a cry for help or call for attention. I can't help but think that there must have been some sort of stimulus for this behavior to have started mid-year.

Do you
have any students in your class who (are going through/have recently been through) a traumatic time? Divorce...remarriage...death of a family member...move...parent travelling...parent losing job...parent working another job/long hours...birth of a new sibling...possible abuse/neglect?

You might also try checking your grade book for clues. Have any of your students' grades recently

started to slip? Homework not getting done? Dramatic increase/decrease in class participation?

Teachers lead such fast-paced lives, and it's easy to get caught up in the frustration of thievery. But, in the case of abuse/neglect/trauma, you always hear people say that they wish they had paid more attention to the "signs" that the student had exhibited.

I hope that this is just a case of a child who has developed sticky fingers and nothing more serious. But, at least you will be able to rest easy knowing you did your part to advocate for your students. And, I hope you solve this mystery before the stealing elevates from trinkets to more valuable items (and more serious consequences for the child.)

Let us know what you find out.